"I'm just glad I stuck with it": When NASCAR icon Carl Edwards reflected on his proudest accomplishment

In June 2009, Sports Illustrated Kids held an exclusive Q&A with Carl Edwards after young fans voted him into the magazine’s July issue. But beyond the checkered flags and high-speed thrills, Edwards' noted his most significant achievement wasn’t a race win, but his unwavering perseverance and resilience.

Well-known for his trademark backflip celebrations, Carl Edwards was one of the most electrifying racers in NASCAR history. The interview covered his love of racing, fitness philosophy, and reflections on pivotal events in his career.

When a 12-year-old Iowan child asked Edwards what he was most proud of, the latter didn't bring up any of his NASCAR wins.

"The accomplishment I’m most proud of is not a race win. It’s the fact that I stuck with my goals and worked really hard regardless of what other people thought or said. There’s doubters everywhere....I’m just glad I stuck with it. I had good people behind me as well." Carl Edwards said in the Sports Illustrated Kids Interview.

Edwards’ journey from a hopeful teenager racing on dirt tracks to a top-tier NASCAR driver was challenging. Growing up in Columbia, Missouri, he dreamt of competing at Kansas Speedway and Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis. Those tracks once seemed out of reach. However, Edwards turned those dreams into reality through sheer perseverance and hard work, racing in front of family and friends who had supported him from the start.

Edwards also shed light on his racing preparation and his approach. Unlike other racers who relied on skill and experience, Edwards focused on physical fitness. He admitted that he once considered working out unnecessary, but later recognized its impact on his performance. He also highlighted his strategic planning with his crew chief and engineers before each race to ensure they had a solid game plan.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Aarons 499 - Source: Imagn

The Q&A session also revisited his infamous Talladega crash earlier that season which was one of the most terrifying crashes in NASCAR history. Carl Edwards was leading the race when Brad Keselowski tried to make a move for the win. As Edwards attempted to block, Keselowski's car clipped Edwards into the air.

Edwards' Claritin Ford struck Ryan Newman's hood, launching it even higher before slamming into the catch fence. While the wreck looked catastrophic, Edwards walked away unharmed. He admitted to the kids that knowing spectators were hurt was the toughest part of the ordeal.

Carl Edwards' Lasting Legacy and a Hall of Fame Induction

In 2008, Carl Edwards came agonizingly close to winning his first championship, finishing second. Three years later, he found himself in another dramatic title fight, finishing as the runner-up again in 2011 after a tiebreaker loss to Tony Stewart. Still, his resilience never wavered. In 2015, he won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and also captured a Crown Jewel victory at the Brickyard 400. Competing with Joe Gibbs Racing he showed that he still was one of the sport’s elite.

His sudden retirement in 2016 shocked everyone, coming in a season in which he contended for yet another title, winning three races. He was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. The following year, he made a return to the racetrack, participating in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 as co-Grand Marshal. Edwards also participated as the honorary pace car driver in the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

His formal induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame cemented his place among the greatest of all time.

NASCAR: NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Source: Imagn

For a driver who once claimed that pursuing his objectives in the face of criticism was his finest achievement, this moment was the final affirmation of his path. Carl Edwards' journey, from a little boy who wanted to race at Kansas Speedway to a Hall of Famer, is still one of NASCAR's most captivating tales.