[autotag]Carl Edwards[/autotag] has been one of NASCAR’s biggest mysteries since his retirement following the 2016 season. Edwards crashed out of the championship and retired in January 2017. Yet, one of the biggest moments of his career came in May 2024, as he was elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
Edwards spoke about the honor from NASCAR and the possibility of returning to the sport in some capacity. While the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver may not compete again, he could return to NASCAR in the booth if something lines up.
“Still to this day, when people call me and ask me to drive race cars, there’s like a young man in me that says, ‘This is the greatest thing ever. It’s Christmas. They are calling me to drive a race car,’” Edwards said. “If I go down that path, I’m not going to do it halfway. So for me, I had to make a very clean break, and that’s just me. I know that was taken by some people as disrespect for the sport. I’m certain it was to some degree. I could have done it better…”
This was Carl Edwards' full answer to how he feels now about the end of the 2016 Ford 400. Layers to this but he says he respects NASCAR and likes the way his life is now – if he won, things might be different.
Respectfully didn't answer whether he felt "cheated" or "wronged" https://t.co/yeVbSwCRM9 pic.twitter.com/nzaKiL8NlT
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) May 30, 2024
“I had more fun than I thought I would have last year at Darlington up in the booth with [Clint Bowyer and [Mike Joy]. It really was enjoyable. That shocked me. I went there thinking, ‘OK, this is a huge honor, and it’s something I need to go and respect the honor.’ I left thinking, man, that’s fun, and so I think if I were to come back in a regular capacity, what I enjoyed was being up in the booth. I enjoyed kind of calling the race to whatever degree I did there. That part I enjoyed. So maybe something like that. But I don’t have anything lined up right now, but definitely much more open to that than I ever have been.”
It would be exciting to see Edwards return to NASCAR as a broadcaster after doing a great job at Darlington in 2023. Even if it weren’t full-time, a part-time effort for the former NASCAR driver would be great for viewers. Edwards may never climb into a Cup Series car again, but it would be fun to see him join a NASCAR broadcasting booth sometime in the future.
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