Imagine a guy who just wouldn’t quit—that’s Ricky Rudd for you all. Rudd holds the record for the most consecutive starts in NASCAR history, with a whopping 788 races from 1981 to 2005. Another such legend is Carl Edwards, who brought a different kind of flair to NASCAR. Known for his signature backflip off his car after every win, Edwards was a huge hit. He racked up 28 Cup Series wins during his career, which is a whole lot of backflips.

However, after his retirement, he disappeared from the public eye. But you must be wondering why we are talking about retired NASCAR drivers right now. It’s because NASCAR has something in store for them.

The return of the racing legends

In a recent announcement, the two NASCAR legends Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards have been named co-grand marshals for the Bank of America ROVALTM 400, which will take place on October 13, 2024, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Both Rudd and Edwards just happen to be nominees for the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame, and it looks like NASCAR is going full throttle to celebrate their legacy.

As Grand Marshals for the Bank of America ROVALTM 400, Rudd and Edwards will have the honor of giving the famous command, “Drivers, start your engines!”

The role of every NASCAR fan’s dream. The race itself, set on a newly renovated 17-turn, 2.28-mile course, promises to be an exciting event, especially with these two legends kicking it off. Greg Walter, the President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, summed it up nicely, when he said, “Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the fall always feels like a bit of a NASCAR homecoming. This year, that will be especially true with Ricky and Carl returning as co-grand marshals. It’s going to be a lot of fun to see them interact with the fans and experience the thrill of ROVALTM racing in the playoffs.”

[Jayski] Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards Named Grand Marshals For Bank of America ROVAL 400
byu/Altracing34 inNASCAR

When this news broke out on Reddit, it spread like a cat meme on the internet, drawing fans to its comments section to celebrate this moment.

What exactly do fans want for Carl Edwards?

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One fan commented, “Carl’s going to get barraged by people asking him to come back racing again, ain’t he?” The fan believes that Carl Edwards will be swamped with questions about returning to racing. Given his popularity and the way he left the sport, it’s no surprise that his fans would want to see him burning rubber on the tarmac.

“Carl has been showing up more often lately; I do actually wonder if he’s getting the itch again. No, I don’t think he’s coming back or anything full-time, but like a one-off in trucks or something, maybe a part owner, something like that,” wrote another fan.

Since hanging up his helmet, Carl Edwards has mostly stayed out of the NASCAR spotlight, focusing on family and community work. But recently, Edwards made a surprise return to the spotlight with the announcement of his Hall of Fame induction. Fans got a treat when he chatted with Jenna Fryer for Fronstretch and tackled some intriguing questions.

For those of you who don’t know, he’s been especially busy in Missouri, lending a hand with disaster relief after severe weather hits the Midwest.

“Edwards is returning again from wherever he’s been hiding the last 8 years,” said a fan of Carl, who seems to be glad to see the legend return. This fan points out that Carl Edwards has been out of the public eye since his retirement in 2016.

Edwards won 28 races over 13 Cup Series seasons, another 38 races in the Xfinity Series, and six Truck Series races. He won one Xfinity title and finished second four other times. But after a dramatic win at Homestead-Miami in 2016, he shocked everyone by retiring abruptly at just 36, seemingly disappearing from the spotlight. Fast forward to 2023, and Edwards reemerged at Darlington Raceway, where he was honored as one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers of all time.

“Glad to see Rooster get the nod,” said a fan of Ricky Rudd, calling him “Rooster” his nickname. This fan is happy that Rudd is being honored as a Grand Marshal. It’s a sign of respect and recognition for his long and successful career in NASCAR. Fans appreciate seeing their favorite drivers being celebrated, and the comment section is proof of that.

This fan was more into Edwards’ appearance, reigniting endless speculation and rumors about his potential return to racing. This was clear from their comment, “Oh God. Now we have to suffer through all of the ‘Carl is coming back’ conspiracy theories.”

But remember when Carl Edwards himself told Jeff Gluck in 2018, “I do miss driving the cars, and I have a feeling something will come up that will be really fun and natural to go do, and I’ll get to drive a little more. But I’m definitely not going to sign a three-year contract to go run for a Cup championship”

Evidently, the reason for his exit remains unclear, but for Edwards racing, it is more than just money and yearly contrast. After having multiple conversations with team owners and sponsors, he stayed away and also confirmed, “I think everyone understands I’m not really interested in coming back and doing anything too serious right now. It’s been off my radar for a long time.”

However, do you want Carl Edwards to get back to NASCAR? Let us know in the comments below.