How many NASCAR wins did Carl Edwards have? Exploring the star’s record and more

Carl Edwards, the veteran NASCAR driver dedicated nearly two decades of his life to this racing sport. He won a total of 72 races across three national series. The now 45-year-old started his NASCAR journey in the Craftsman Truck Series, debuting in 2002 with MB Motorsports. That season, he competed in seven races, with his best performance being an eighth-place finish at Kansas Speedway.

In 2003, Edwards became a full-time Truck Series driver with Roush Racing, winning three races and Rookie of the Year. During his Truck Series career, he won six races, including a win at Daytona in 2004.

In 2004, Carl Edwards made his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Roush Fenway Racing (now Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing). By 2005, he was competing full-time, and it proved to be his breakthrough season. Edwards became the first driver in NASCAR history to win races in both the Cup and Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) on the same weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He ended the season with four Cup Series wins and finished third in the standings.

Edwards' career had many high points, including his standout 2008 season, when won nine Cup Series races and finished second in the championship standings, just 69 points behind Jimmie Johnson. Another near-championship moment came in 2011 when he entered the season’s final race with a slim points lead. Carl Edwards finished second in this race. Despite that, he lost the championship to Tony Stewart on a tiebreaker, as the latter had more wins that season.

Edwards also had an impressive NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he won 38 races over his career. His most notable achievement in the series came in 2007 when he won the Xfinity Series Championship.

In total, Edwards competed in 445 Cup Series races, securing 28 wins, 124 Top 5 finishes, and 220 Top 10 finishes. He also earned 22 pole positions, with a personal best of six poles in 2016. During his time with Roush Fenway Racing (2004–2014), he won 23 Cup Series races. Joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, he won the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500. Edwards also won the 2011 All-Star Race, which got him a $1 million prize.

Carl Edwards’ contributions to NASCAR were recognized when he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. He is set to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2025.

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“I think it’s the right thing to do” Carl Edwards on his retirement from racing

In January 2017, Carl Edwards surprised the NASCAR world by announcing his decision to step away from full-time racing. Speaking at a press conference held at Joe Gibbs Racing headquarters, Edwards acknowledged that his choice might seem puzzling.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, as confusing as this whole thing might be. This might not make sense to people,” he said (via New York Times).

Carl Edwards gave three main reasons for his decision. First, he was satisfied with his career achievements. After nearly two decades in professional racing, he had won 28 Cup Series races, multiple runner-up finishes in the championship standings, and the 2007 Xfinity Series Championship. Edwards felt that his career had been fulfilling and that he had little left to prove.

The American also stated that he wanted to prioritize his family, adding that spending time with his family is a central factor in his decision.

Edwards based the third reason on his health. At 37 years old, he wanted to step away from the sport while still physically fit and able to enjoy life without the wear and tear of continuous racing. He explained,

“Life’s short. You’ve got to do what your gut tells you. I hope you’ll accept that I just don’t really have all that figured out yet. To me, that’s O.K. I’m at peace with that.”

During his final season in 2016, Carl Edwards advanced to the Championship 4, securing his place with a rain-shortened win at Texas. Although he came close to winning the championship, he encountered a crash during the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This put him in the fourth position in the standings.

Despite retiring from full-time racing, Carl Edwards remained involved in NASCAR in a limited capacity. In 2017, he returned to the track to support his replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing, Daniel Suárez.