“I’m Humbled”: Carl Edwards Reveals His Shock After NASCAR’s Hall of Fame Surprise

Being one of NASCAR’s top competitors of the 21st century, Carl Edwards’ honorary achievement came as no surprise. The veteran driver was notified of his induction into the prestigious NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 21st. Since then, it has been a story of nostalgia, pride, and humility for the 44-year-old retired Cup driver.

Carl Edwards’ resume features a glittering streak of wins, owning 72 victories overall, including 28 Cup wins. However, he suddenly disappeared from NASCAR’s radar, leaving fans guessing. Now his newfound glory is letting him take a trip down memory lane.

Carl Edwards hails his NASCAR compatriots

When Edwards bid adieu to NASCAR, he was only 36 and at the peak of his racing career. But the teacher-turned-driver had solid reasons for it: prioritizing his family and personal health. Now that NASCAR has drawn him into the spotlight again, Carl Edwards hopes to enter the broadcasting world, much like Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kevin Harvick.

Yet NASCAR’s highest honor caught him by surprise, as he could not believe his ears. Carl Edwards’ wife called him and broke the news. But the driver had to call Randy Fuller, former Roush Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing senior media relations manager, to confirm the news. Even after that, Edwards felt dizzy with the new medal of glory.

Recently he admitted to his feeling of surprise in an interview with NASCAR. “I thought the chances of this were basically zero, and I’m humbled, I’m grateful. I was in the air at 4 PM. I knew that’s when they were gonna reach out to people, but I thought, Oh, there’s no chance. We landed, and my wife said, ‘You need to check your phone.’ I called Randy Fuller, and he was just ecstatic. To me, the feeling was surprisingly overwhelming.”

Carl Edwards started his career at Roush Fenway Racing, where he laid the foundations of his glittering career. He adopted his iconic celebratory backflip in that team. After spending ten years under Jack Roush, he shifted under Joe Gibbs’ fold. Edwards shocked his colleagues with his exit plans in 2017 after coming extremely close to winning the championship in the past year. 

Yet the retired driver’s heart has nothing but praise and gratitude for his past team workers. Carl Edwards admitted as much to NASCAR. “I cannot tell you how big of an honor it is. Just for the last few days, I’ve been walking around with so much gratitude. So many people have reached out to me. I got to talk to Jack Roush, I got to talk to Joe Gibbs. You know, so many crew members that just poured their whole lives into my career, and I’m so grateful.”

This humble nature is nothing new for the stellar driver. He once demonstrated the same with his unique paint scheme in 2010.

Edwards poured his love for cancer-afflicted children once

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Carl Edwards’ story is laced with struggle and inspiration. While living in his mother’s basement and working as a substitute teacher, Edwards carefully nursed his racing ambitions. He would hand out business cards with the phrase, “If you’re looking for a driver, you’re looking for me.” We now know how far his humble roots took him. Edwards’ noble attitude extended to his goodwill initiatives as well.

In 2010, Edwards teamed up with Aflac to support this year’s National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. His car featured names of people who stood by then-12-year-old Hannah Layfield, who was diagnosed with Leukemia. 

Referring to Layfield and other children facing cancer, Carl Edwards proudly put them forward as his heroes. “I was a kid who grew up with normal problems. It’s nothing like what these kids are going through. They have so much humility and strength. I mistakenly thought I would be there to inspire them. But in fact, it’s the opposite. They show me strength.”

This noble soul, indeed, who displays talent beyond the race track, and well deserves the NASCAR Hall of Fame honor.