On a cold night in November 2016 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was reaching its climax. Carl Edwards was cruising toward what should’ve been his first championship. He was considered one of the most genuine guys in the sport. He’d been phenomenal all season, and with 16 laps to go, he was pulling away, dominating the field.

Jimmie Johnson, a six-time champion at the time and a legend in his own right, was lagging, the slowest of the final four. Then, out of nowhere, NASCAR threw a caution that flipped the script and shattered Edwards’ dream. What happened next still hurts, and it’s got fans questioning everything we love about this sport.

Phantom caution strikes again!

Dylan Lupton cut a tire in Turn 1, but he didn’t spin, didn’t crash, and didn’t leave a speck of debris on the track. He saved his car and pulled it down low, out of the way. Yet, NASCAR waved the yellow flag. This controversial caution came out of nowhere. Edwards, who’d built a commanding lead, was forced to pit under that yellow.

On the restart, chaos erupted when Joey Logano clipped him, sending Edwards slamming into the wall. His race, his title, his moment were all gone in an instant. Johnson, meanwhile, capitalized on the reset, took the lead after the wreck, and crossed the finish line as the champ, tying legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. with his seventh title.

Was it rigged? Edwards himself didn’t hold back years later on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. “I know NASCAR was throwing those cautions to make it exciting… That’s a fact,” accusing NASCAR of “blatant race manipulation” to craft a Hollywood ending. Lupton’s tire issue was a non-event until NASCAR made it one.

Edwards had been untouchable that day, running a race that showcased why he was a fan favorite: clean, fast, and relentless. But that caution erased it all, handing Johnson a win many argue he didn’t deserve. The stats back this up, as Carl Edwards led 97 laps that race, Jimmie Johnson just 3. Edwards had been a model of consistency all his career, but his heartbreaks were a plenty.

In 2011, he entered the Chase first in points with a comfortable lead, posting 1 win and 12 top-5 finishes in 26 races. However, Tony Stewart, entering the Chase with zero wins, unlocked a different level of driving. He won four of the nine races in the Chase and was three points behind Edwards, heading into Homestead. As you can imagine, the pre-race press conference was legendary.

Stewart looked Edwards dead in the eye and said, “You can come visit my trophy in the room in Vegas when you get out there,” oozing confidence and charisma while playing psychological games with Edwards. Stewart was a man possessed, and he went on to win the final race, but Edwards finished second! This meant it would go down to a tie-breaker, and remember that Edwards had just one win for the season, with none during the Chase, so Stewart took the title home on that ‘race wins’ tie-break, shattering Edwards’ hopes. But he had already experienced a similar pain just three years prior!

In 2008, Carl Edwards was the man to beat. He won 6 races before the Chase and was poised to bring a championship to Roush Racing. But yet again, it was Jimmie Johnson, the inevitable, who stopped his glory run. Jimmie Johnson had just three wins before the Chase, but it was yet another 10-race run that haunted Edwards.

Johnson had won the previous two races entering the Chase, coming in red hot form, and went on to win three more. However, Edwards also won three races in the Chase! But back-to-back finishes of 29th and 33rd at Talladega and Charlotte ruined his points. Despite winning three of the final 4 races, including the Homestead finale, Edwards finished 63 points behind Johnson, as the latter took home his fifth consecutive crown.

So, when you look at 2016, this was Edwards’ shot. A chance to deny rival Jimmie Johnson a record-equaling 7th title. A chance to etch his name into NASCAR history, but NASCAR yanked it away. Johnson’s legacy got its shiny bow, but for Edwards, it was a gut punch that still haunts fans. That cannot be called racing but scripting. And for those of us who loved watching Carl flip off his car in victory lane, it’s a wound that won’t heal.

Look, we get it. Johnson’s a titan. Forty-eight career victories by that point, a Hendrick Motorsports golden boy. But that day, he wasn’t the best. The timing of that yellow flag reeked of interference, bunching up the field when Edwards was running away with it. That crash wasn’t just a wreck. It was the moment he decided to walk away from NASCAR for good, tired of a system that seemed to prioritize storylines over fairness.

Trending

1

NASCAR Star Drops Life-Changing Announcement as Racing Community Melts Over Welcome Surprise

2

3x Daytona 500 Champ Left in Tears Accompanying Tony Stewart’s Rival Into the Motorsport Hall of Fame

3

Richard Petty’s Son Betrays the King’s NASCAR Legacy With Humble Dale Earnhardt Claim

4

Kyle Larson Uncovers Welcome $18 Million Surprise Amidst NASCAR’s Michael Jordan Lawsuit Tussle

5

When Jeff Gordon Became Enemy of the People After Paying the Greatest Dale Earnhardt Tribute

Fans still find that controversial night hard to forget

Now, let’s talk about the fans. On X, the outrage is palpable. One user nailed it: “Didn’t even get sideways. Immediately pulls down. Zero debris on the track. Yeah I’d be p—– too if I’m Carl Edwards. NASCAR wanted the story of Jimmie being 7 time.” It’s not just bitterness, it’s betrayal. We saw a guy who’d earned it get stuffed by a call that made no sense. Another fan, a self-proclaimed Johnson diehard, admitted, “I’m a huge Jimmie Johnson fan, but yes I thought that was super fixed.” That’s the kicker; even JJ’s supporters smell something fishy on this one.

Then, there’s the heartbreak angle. “Diabolical to s—w Carl to gift JJ a 7th,” someone posted, summing up the raw anger. Edwards wasn’t just a driver; he was a class act—humble, hardworking, the kind of guy you rooted for. Fans on X called him “a GREAT driver and a wonderful human being”.

Finally, there’s the legacy hit. “I always put an asterisk on Jimmie’s 7th title,” one user declared, a view shared by many who see it as tainted. Johnson’s a legend, no doubt, but fans argue he “was never going to win it without the race being manipulated.” The ‘fake caution’ talk isn’t new; it’s been simmering since 2016, and Carl Edwards’ recent comments only fanned the flames. The sentiment’s clear that caution didn’t just rob Carl Edwards of a title, but it ended his career. And we’re still mourning the loss.

For us, it’s not about tearing Johnson down; it’s about calling out a system that picked a winner instead of letting the track decide. That’s not racing integrity; that’s diabolical. And we’re not letting it go. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!