Carl Edwards didn’t have the best send-offs when he quit racing back in 2016. It almost looked like he was about to win his first Cup Series title in Phoenix, but the streak of bad luck continued. Little did anyone know back then that the championship race in Phoenix would be his last one in NASCAR. And just like that, he detached himself away from the sport, with no signs of his return or continued support.

But things changed last year as Edwards was voted in to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. All of a sudden there was chatter about his potential return to the racetrack, a chance for the fans to celebrate his NASCAR journey that ended abruptly. Well, the 45-year-old veteran hasn’t announced any plans for his return to the racetrack, but he might have to reconsider that stance. And the driver who is looking to bring Edwards back behind the wheels is none other than Kyle Larson.

Can we see Carl Edwards driving the No. 5 HMS Chevy at the All-Star race?

Now we all know what happened last year during the All-Star race weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Larson had to fly to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to participate in the qualifying event for the Indy 500, and he is scheduled to do the same this year. We saw Kevin Harvick come out of retirement and pilot the No. 5 HMS Chevy for the practice and qualifying rounds at NWS. This time around, Larson wants Carl Edwards to hop in his ride, as he made a public appeal to the veteran driver.

“I would love to have Carl Edwards do it; I think it will be great. That’s my pick this year. I’ve mentioned this to Jeff Gordon and Cliff, but nobody really outside of that. So it’s not anything serious right now. But that’s who I would pick; that would make a huge splash in the sport and be great. Carl, if you happen to see this, please, please jump in the No. 5 car.” Kyle Larson said this in an interview with Bob Pockrass.

We have seen Larson pull off a similar stunt last year when he won the Brickyard 400. “How about we come back next May and try to kiss these bricks in an Indy car?” This is how he engineered his second attempt for the Indy 500 race. And if you ask, what’s the big deal about it? Well, Rick Hendrick and his team were in a sticky position after Larson chose to miss the start of the Coca-Cola 600 race. What followed next was the waiver drama, and this delayed Larson’s announcement to have a second bite at the “Double” attempt.

It has to be noted that even if Carl Edwards hops inside the No. 5 Chevy, he won’t be allowed to race in the main event. This is something Harvick had to go through despite being named as the backup driver for Larson. As Harvick wasn’t a full-time driver, he wasn’t allowed to compete in the 200-lap main event on Sunday night. This saw Larson start the race on the rear of the field, but it will be interesting how this scenario unfolds with the open provisional in play now.

However, it’s going to take a lot of convincing, perhaps a miracle, for Kyle Larson to get Edwards back to racing. The Missouri native has time and again stated that he isn’t open to getting back into competitive racing.

Edwards is inclined towards the ambassador role in NASCAR

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Joining the likes of Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards is regarded as the greatest driver to have never won the NASCAR Cup Series. Not one, but there have been multiple instances where Edwards would’ve reached the pinnacle of NASCAR racing. We all know about the 2016 season, but the tiebreaker loss to Tony Stewart in 2011 is the closest he came to lifting the Bill France trophy. In 2008 he was in a similar position, and despite winning the race in Phoenix, he lost out on the championship glory to Jimmie Johnson.

There was a sentiment among the fans that after repeated heartbreaks, Edwards was forced into retirement after 2016. But the veteran driver cleared the air regarding the same. “I want to be very explicit. I did not leave the sport because of the way 2016 ended, period. I wouldn’t have one more point in that tie with Tony Stewart; I wouldn’t change anything in 2016. Of course, I’d like some more trophies, but I wouldn’t change anything.”

He also cleared his stance on returning to racing, stating that he would rather be more involved in promoting the sport and spreading the word about NASCAR. “Absolutely, I’m up for the task. The more I look back on my career and all the wonderful things and wonderful people, the more I’m happy to share my love for the sport and my gratitude to everyone involved. I’ll try to do the best I can.”

Well, he has his priorities clear, and getting back to racing doesn’t look to be on the top of his wish list. But will he be able to turn down an offer if he receives a call from Rick Hendrick? That is the question. So keep an eye out for an official word either by Hendrick Motorsports or Edwards; there might be something special in store for the fans.