Edwards gets call to fill Roush Ford.

Roush Racing has revealed that Carl Edwards will replace the RCR-bound Jeff Burton at the wheel of the #99 Roush Racing Ford for the remainder of the 2004 season, starting from next weekend's Michigan GFS Marketplace 400.

The 24-year old currently occupies third place in the Craftsman Truck standings, and will continue to drive the #99 Superchips F-150 in the remaining races.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," Edwards said, "I'm really excited about the opportunity that Jack Roush has given me, and I'm really looking forward to working with [crew chief] Bob Osborne and the entire #99 team.

"I've been watching the team and it's obvious that they have turned a corner and I'm excited to have the chance to help continue that momentum. They've had great race cars this year - and awesome pit-stops - and I'm really looking forward to working together as a team to try and take the #99 Ford to victory lane."

Edwards received his chance after regular #99 pilot Jeff Burton accepted an offer to switch to RCR's #30 AOL Chevrolet from Michigan onwards.

"Roush Racing is faced with a great opportunity to provide the necessary platform for the warp-speed advancement into Nextel Cup stardom of yet another ambitious, resourceful, talented and charismatic driver in the person of Carl Edwards," said team owner Jack Roush, "This unexpected window of opportunity has been made possible through Jeff Burton's decision not to execute his option to drive the #99 Taurus in 2005, and Carl will follow in the footsteps of Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, and Jeff Burton in being supported by Roush Racing's best people and hardware at a time when his experience and motivations are certain to propel him into NASCAR's most elite group."

There appeared to be no animosity surrounding Burton's decision to move to pastures new.

"The #99 legacy began at Roush Racing with Jeff Burton, who has done an outstanding job for the team, its sponsors and the entire sport," said team president Geoff Smith, "Now Carl Edwards has both the talent and demeanour to build on the #99's legacy of success."

Burton had struggled to complete the season to date after financial shortfalls limited his running in the #99 car, and Smith was quick to point out that the same situation exists following Edwards' promotion.

"It should be remembered that the #99 team is still in business and is still looking to land a primary sponsor," he stressed.