“That’s not…the best way I wanted to spend my life,” Carl Edwards had said, talking about his sudden retirement in 2016. Shy of a NASCAR Cup Series championship all his career, retiring at 37 seemed too early for the iconic driver. But there were far more things Edwards had planned to do—taking care of his family, watching his kids grow up, and most importantly, making it out of the sport without any life-altering injuries.

Eight years ago, as fans reeled from the heartbreak of Tony Stewart’s retirement plans, Carl Edwards planned his exit from the sport. His last race was certainly not easy to watch. Pitched in a heated race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Edwards’ championship hopes ended with just ten laps to go. Racing championship rival Joey Logano, the two crashed, resulting in Jimmie Johnson running away with the seventh title win of his career. Many hoped he’s keep chasing…

So when he reached Joe Gibbs’ office shortly before Christmas to inform about stepping away, and not retiring, stunned would be the most underwhelming word to describe his team’s reaction. “When he sat down in front of me and shared what he was thinking, I was totally surprised. I said ‘This is a huge decision, let’s take some time with this,” the team owner had said back then.

Some fans at the time believed the end to a shot at winning his only championship was enough for Carl Edwards to exit the sport. However, that wasn’t the reason which he made absolutely clear by saying, “I may have been unclear, and I want to be explicit, that I did not leave the sport because of the way 2016 ended.” Anyhow, over the years, the 45-year-old has largely stayed away from the mention of a race or even a track or that matter—his knack for adventure took him elsewhere.

Currently, residing in his home state of Missouri, Edwards is a pilot, has taken up jiujitsu, helps out after tornado strikes and was also rumored to run as a Republican candidate for public office. A little fun fact: The former driver is the great-great-great grandson of US’ 19th President Rutherford B. Hayes. Having said that, only thrice has the former JGR driver shown up to anything related to NASCAR in eight years. Once, in November 2018, when he was inducted into the Texas Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, before disappearing again. Then in 2023, when he was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list as part of the sports 75 anniversary celebration. And the third time on Episode 5 of NASCAR Inside the Playoffs, scheduled to air on October 3 this year.

In a short snippet released by NASCAR, one of the hosts pointed out Edwards’ mysterious personality and pointed out, “The only person who might be more mysterious than Carl is Paul Menard,” inducing a fit of laughter from the Hall of Famer and others. This was immediately followed up by the question we were all expecting, “What have you been doing?” Addressing what motivated his return, Carl Edwards made a candid statement to the NASCAR world. He said, “That’s just been amazing. The sport has welcomed me back in such a way. It’s the first time that I’ve truly felt that family and that’s really why I’m here. It’s just fun.” 

Edwards’ career kept him constantly between the racetrack and his Missouri home, where he chose to keep his family life private and separate from the NASCAR spotlight. However, fans have often wondered…

Will Edwards return to racing?

Carl Edwards’ last race in NASCAR left fans with a sense of sadness. Losing his title in the last race due to a crash and his subsequent retirement announcement was a massive shock at the time, which was followed by Edwards taking up radio silence. Now that he is finally back taking NASCAR again, is a racing return on the table? Fans would certainly love it.

Similar to the offer he made to Martin Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin offered an open seat to Carl Edwards, should the racing bug ever strike him again. “I just told him whenever he’s ready just let me know. Whenever you get that itch. I think he’s publicly stated many times until they put horsepower back in these cars I’m not doing it,” the 23XI Racing team owner stated in last week’ episode of The Actions Detrimental.

However, the retired veteran has firmly shut down any rumors of a NASCAR comeback. Watching as a fan has only deepened his appreciation for the sport. After achieving his childhood dream in a 14-year career with numerous wins and a Hall of Fame induction, Edwards is content enjoying the sport from the sidelines. He said, “The longer I’ve been away, I appreciate the sport more and more. Last year, just the honor of being part of those 75  drivers, it shocked me how much fun it was to come back to Darlington to be a part of that, and I guess what I’m trying to say is the longer I am away, the more I appreciate it.” 

Carl Edwards hasn’t let his NASCAR legacy fade. With his $70 million net worth and piloting skills are being put to use in recent relief efforts. After Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, Edwards partnered with Operation Airdrop and the Gideon Rescue Company, flying relief materials and rescuing stranded civilians. His contribution, along with NASCAR peers like Greg Ives, is Edwards’ way of giving back to the state that shaped his career, showing that even in retirement, he’s still supporting the NASCAR community.