At first look, Carl Edwards is a straightforward household man who lives on a farm in Columbia, Missouri. As an athlete who’s a Corridor of Famer in his respective sport of NASCAR racing, there’s not a touch of brashness in his voice.
But, Edwards is likely one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of his era. The common-or-garden 45-year-old gained 28 NASCAR Cup Sequence races in a profession that culminated together with his enshrinement within the NASCAR Corridor of Fame in February.
On Might 25, Edwards will as soon as once more be one of many stars of a NASCAR telecast, although he’ll commerce in a firesuit for a swimsuit and tie and a steering wheel for a teleprompter as he gives evaluation for Prime Video’s pre- and post-race protection of 5 NASCAR Cup Sequence races.
Edwards’ retirement in January of 2017 shocked the NASCAR world. In spite of everything, he was contemporary off a Championship 4 look in 2016, and whereas he heartbreakingly misplaced the championship, he was on the high of his recreation.
However Edwards, being a person who is aware of racing is not the tip recreation of his life, was content material together with his profession. In his Corridor of Fame induction speech in February, he mentioned he was grateful to not have gained the championship in 2016. When Kyle Larson supplied Edwards the chance to follow his automobile at North Wilkesboro whereas Larson certified for the Indianapolis 500, Edwards politely declined.
After being principally radio silent within the years following his retirement, Edwards started to creep again into the NASCAR scene. He was at Darlington in Might of 2023 when he was acknowledged as one in every of NASCAR’s 75 Best Drivers. He drove the tempo automobile at Kansas in September of 2024, and was the honorary starter at Darlington in April.
Beginning on Might 25, he’ll be one of many faces of Prime Video’s studio protection of NASCAR as he works alongside host Danielle Trotta and fellow driver-analyst Corey LaJoie.
Almost a decade faraway from his retirement from NASCAR, Edwards mentioned that after attending to know the Prime Video crew, he knew it was the fitting time to return again to the game, albeit in a special capability.
“I have been shocked on the method the game has welcomed me,” Edwards advised Yardbarker in a digital information convention on Monday. “I actually know what it is prefer to be a part of the NASCAR household. It is a actually good feeling.”
Edwards wasn’t certain in regards to the alternative to work with Prime Video – till Sr. Coordinating producer Alex Strand and others from the group got here to his home in Columbia to speak with him.
“They got here all the way in which to Columbia, Missouri,” Edwards mentioned. “We had a heck of a enjoyable day. As we sat round my desk, at my home, with my household, I spotted that this Prime group, they’re followers. They love sports activities. They love being on the occasions. All of that got here collectively. NASCAR welcomed me again for 5 races. I believed, ‘This will probably be an journey. My household’s coming with me. Why not? Let’s go do it.”
After speaking with fellow expertise in Steve Letarte — a former crew chief with a decade of TV expertise — and fellow Corridor of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., Edwards knew that the chance was one he could not cross up.
“I am simply so grateful that Prime got here all the way in which out to Missouri and talked me into this,” Edwards mentioned. “The timing simply feels proper.”
For everybody who watched Edwards’ race, seeing him come again to NASCAR feels proper, too.
All quotations obtained firsthand until in any other case famous.
