Edwards and veteran Ricky Rudd acquired probably the most votes on the Trendy Period poll when the Corridor’s voting panel lately chosen the members of the Class of 2025.
In actual fact, though he had been a nominee, Edwards didn’t plan on being obtainable when the outcomes have been introduced on Might 21 as a result of he thought “there’s no motive to be.”
Edwards, nonetheless, has been a preferred alternative since his election, with few onerous emotions over his abrupt departure from the game following the 2016 season.
“What I’m attempting to say is the longer I’m away, the extra I recognize it,” Edwards, 44, informed a bunch of reporters on Thursday. “And this honor is excessive. I didn’t count on this in any manner. I used to be shocked.
“It’s been an enormous deal to me, a lot larger than I ever would have anticipated.”
Carl Edwards
Picture by: NASCAR Media
There was a time when Edwards may solely dream of being a race automobile driver, not to mention one price of a Corridor of Fame induction.
He began off as an alternative instructor however finally joined Roush Fenway Racing to compete within the NASCAR Truck collection, which kicked off a profession that would come with 29 Cup wins, 38 Xfinity wins, together with the 2007 championship, and 6 Truck victories.
Over his 13-year Cup profession, Edwards earned victories within the Coca Cola 600 and Southern 500. He completed second within the collection standings twice, together with the closest end in NASCAR historical past when he misplaced the 2011 title to Tony Stewart in a tiebreaker.
Surprising exit from the game
Within the months following the 2016 season, Edwards made a shock announcement at Joe Gibbs Racing that the 2016 season can be the final of his profession.
He has not competed in a NASCAR occasion since however has made occasional visits to tracks in recent times and appeared on a Cup race broadcast.
“I simply wanted time,” Edwards mentioned of his resolution to step away. “I noticed I awakened and I, , proper in the direction of the top of my profession, I noticed I’m not spending any time doing actually something apart from racing and that point I am going to by no means get again.
“Two, I actually felt that I had carried out all the things I personally wished to do within the sport. I understood mainly that I used to be the very best that I might be.’
“And third, I escaped with none massive accidents. The extra we checked out that stuff, that’s a critical factor. I felt like I used to be very lucky there.”
Corridor of Fame induction and future plans
Requested if he ever conceived of the concept of being inducted into NASCAR’s Corridor of Fame, Edwards was emphatic: “Not in one million years.”
“That is the primary time that I’ve really been in a position to take a look at my profession and I assume the way in which that the voting panel on the Corridor of Fame seems to be at a profession and it’s a distinct manner to take a look at it and the phrase is simply grateful,” he mentioned.
“I’m so grateful that each one this labored out and I hope that by means of this entire course of I get to share with folks how a lot I recognize them.”
Though he mentioned he stays “open” to doing extra NASCAR-related actions, don’t count on Edwards again on the observe.
“Not in a Cup automobile. I did take pleasure in operating the SIM somewhat bit final 12 months and I believe I’m going to go perform a little bit extra of that simply to attempt to perceive,” he mentioned. “I imply I like driving automobiles and I’m very curious.
“What I loved was being up within the (TV) sales space. I loved form of calling the race to no matter diploma I did there for 45 minutes or no matter. So, possibly one thing like that.
“However I don’t have something lined up proper now, however undoubtedly way more open to that than I ever have been.”
