CONCORD, N.C. -- Daniel Suarez went about his job fulfilling a commitment to a sponsor at a commercial shoot Tuesday for Subway, and guess who showed up: Carl Edwards.

When Suarez gets to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday, guess who will be there: Carl Edwards.

It's like Suarez will almost have a shadow this week from the driver he replaced when Edwards abruptly stepped out of the Joe Gibbs Racing car in January.

And Suarez is just fine with that.

Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing car, says he welcomes advice from his friend and former driver Carl Edwards. Terry Renna/AP Photo

"I've been always one of those drivers that asks for advice and asks for help," Suarez said at Concord (N.C.) Speedway during a break in filming. "I'm not shy to say I don't know how to do this.

"For me to have somebody like Carl here, it's a huge deal. He's a great friend, and I'm just very lucky to have friends like this."

Edwards was on set to be part of the commercial. He won't have that same role at Atlanta as he can't practice in the car, which is a little bit of a bummer for Edwards as he won his first Cup race at Atlanta and has three career Cup wins there. He loves that track, and he'd love to race on that pavement -- this is the last race on the weathered surface as the track will be repaved following Sunday's race.

"I'm going to miss Atlanta," Edwards said. "That place is really, really fun. Is this the last race on that pavement? [It is], so I'll miss it at least that one."

While Edwards went to the test at Phoenix four weeks ago and will be at Atlanta, he said he doesn't plan on being at the track all that often to help Suarez.

"It's really important -- [crew chief] Dave [Rogers] and I talked about this -- that this is Daniel's team, and I'm only at the race track as a tool for Daniel to pick my brain if he wants," Edwards said.

"I'm hoping I can help him at Atlanta, especially with that old surface. His teammates are going to be working on their car, so hopefully I can be an asset to him."

That's one of the reasons why Edwards will only spend Friday at the track ... unless the team wants him to stay an extra day. As a licensed pilot, Edwards has the flexibility to come and go. But where would he stay with no motorhome at the track?

"Dave's couch looks real comfy," Edwards said. "The problem with Dave is he doesn't have a lot of food on his motorhome."

Suarez said Edwards can stay as long as he wants. The rookie driver doesn't feel threatened, nor intimidated by having the former driver hang around.

"It's very good to have a Cup driver to help you 100 percent [of his time] at one of his favorite places," Suarez said.

Edwards still has a relationship with Subway. The commercial will show a little bit of the idea of passing the torch from the championship contender to the rookie.

Suarez did get some advice Tuesday from Edwards on his acting skills.

"He's a very good race-car driver," Suarez said. "He's obviously very good with the camera as well. I get along very well with him and he's been very helpful."

Since Edwards had not been in North Carolina much, some of his friends came over to the track to say hello, including his former spotter Jason Hedlesky, who now spots for Matt Kenseth.

Former Cup driver Carl Edwards has been "helping pass the torch to Daniel [Suarez]." Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

He said he missed the people he usually sees in February and doesn't have any set plans.

"Any decision you make in life has consequences," Edwards said. "I called Hedlesky every day [before the Daytona 500] just to see how things were going and how he was doing.

"I miss running on the beach. All that stuff. ... I'm pretty open to whatever comes next."

So does that mean at some point Edwards will race against Suarez? Edwards wouldn't rule out a substitute-driving role if a team wanted him to get in the seat, but he has no plans.

"This is something I'm happy to do for JGR and Subway," Edwards said. "Really, it's just as simple as being part of this today and kind of helping pass the torch to Daniel. ... I don't have any big news."

It won't be driving the No. 19 car. That is Suarez's, and he feels comfortable with his new team.

"If I can tell you something that I am 100 percent sure, is they've got my back," Suarez said. "They know I'm new. They know that even though I won the [Xfinity] championship last year, I still have a long way to go for the Cup level.

"But they've got my back and they're going to support me in everything I do."