Tag: Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards gives big update on NASCAR future after Hall-of-Fame induction

Carl Edwards gives a big update on his NASCAR future after his Hall-of-Fame induction in 2024. Find out what Edwards said about his future!

[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…”

“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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NASCAR Hall of Fame nod puts career in perspective for Edwards

Over a week after being selected for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025, Carl Edwards is still processing the honor. Edwards unexpectedly retired from NASCAR Cup Series competition in January 2017. In the years since Edwards has lived a quiet …

Over a week after being selected for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025, Carl Edwards is still processing the honor.

Edwards unexpectedly retired from NASCAR Cup Series competition in January 2017. In the years since Edwards has lived a quiet life back home in the Midwest, and he’s made less than a handful of public appearances at the racetrack. But now that he’s a Hall of Fame inductee, Edwards is reliving the glory days of being a stock car driver.

“No, it doesn’t close the book,” Edwards said of whether a Hall of Fame nod brings closure to his career. “What it does for me — and I didn’t expect this at all — it opens the book. It makes me remember and realize and put into perspective how much went into this. How much energy was put in by all the guys that worked on the cars, built the cars, sold the sponsorship, the media, the fans, everyone. And I got to be in the driver’s seat.

“I got to live my greatest wildest dreams as a kid. I think it really opens it for me — to be able to look at this and understand it’s not just something that I did and it’s done. This sport lives on. The spirit of everyone striving and trying to be the best they can and competing; I’m so grateful to have been a part of it while I was.”

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In 13 seasons as a Cup Series driver, Edwards won 28 races driving for Jack Roush and then Joe Gibbs. Across all three NASCAR national series, Edwards visited victory lane 72 times and claimed the 2007 Xfinity Series championship. In the Xfinity Series, Edwards finished no worse than third in the championship standings in the six seasons he could earn points.

A fan favorite and always respectful and engaging with the media, Edwards was one of the sport’s most likable personalities. However, the clean break he made from the sport after the 2016 season shocked everyone, and Edwards now admits that perhaps he could have done a better job of making it clear why.

It had nothing to do with how the ’16 season ended, which Edwards repeatedly made clear Thursday. The season finale that season saw Edwards as one of four drivers in championship contention, and he had a great shot to earn the title before a caution set up a late-race restart. But those chances disappeared on the restart when there was contact between Edwards and Joey Logano.

Edwards walked down pit road to Logano’s pit box to wish the team well as they remained in the race. He then walked away from a NASCAR racetrack for the final time in a firesuit.

While a low point, Edwards walked away in 2016 at the top of his game, Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

It was the risk of injury and realizing other things in life needed tending to that made Edwards retire. Something he had begun thinking about in 2015 but, as he further described, really looked around and understood in ’16.

“I feel completely blessed and things are great,” Edwards said. “No regrets. Of course, I’d like some more trophies, but I wouldn’t change anything.”

Edwards has no desire to get back behind the wheel of a Cup Series car for fun because he couldn’t see himself doing it as fun. The competitive side of Edwards is too strong, and he respects how the premier series for him to try to come back. And those same risks of injury remain. However, he does enjoy getting into a simulator from time to time.

Instead, Edwards is now into Jiu-Jitsu and other activities. The day the voting panel met to decide the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025, Edwards kept his busy schedule instead of staying by the phone. And because he didn’t think there was a chance of being selected, Edwards was off the grid flying and went uninformed of the news for a few hours.

“This honor is over the top,” Edwards said. “I did not expect this in any way. I was shocked. I actually wasn’t available at 4pm (local time) when they announced it because I thought there was no reason to be, and it’s been a huge deal to me. Much bigger than I ever would have expected.”

Edwards will be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame alongside Ricky Rudd and Ralph Moody Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. Dean Sicking will also be honored that night as the Landmark Award winner for contributions to racing.