"He was almost a father figure": Carl Edwards honors $300M-worth former boss ahead of NASCAR Hall of Fame induction

Former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards has praised his former boss, Jack Roush, ahead of the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Edwards, who retired from full-time racing in 2017 after an impressive career, is among the three individuals set to be inducted into NASCAR's prestigious Hall of Fame.

Carl Edwards began his NASCAR career in the Craftsman Truck Series, debuting at Memphis International Raceway in June 2002. He quickly advanced to the Xfinity Series, where he claimed 38 wins and a championship title.

In the Cup Series, Edwards drove the #99 Ford for $300M-worth Jack Roush's (as per Celebrity Net Worth) Roush Racing, securing 23 victories. Despite his success, the 45-year-old never finished higher than runner-up (2008, 2011) in the championship standings.

Ahead of the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Carl Edwards acknowledged Jack Roush's significant impact on his Cup Series career.

"I mean Jack Roush is, he's Jack. I get to talk about this a little bit tonight in my speech, but being at Roush in my racing, that's where I learn what teamwork was about," Edwards said. "From top to bottom, Jack had an amazing team.

"Jack himself, he's, I don't know how many careers he's made, but he made mine and he could do anything. He was a team owner, he's a motivator, he's a great pilot and to me he was almost a father figure. Someone that brought me along and really took chances on me and committed to me when there was no reason to it. So really, he's beyond special to me."

Unlike many retired NASCAR drivers who occasionally return to racing, Carl Edwards has fully embraced his retirement, staying away from competition since the conclusion of the 2016 Cup Series season.

Edwards will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame alongside former Cup Series runner-up Ricky Rudd and the late Ralph Moody, marking a prestigious honor for all three.

"It's going to be hard": Carl Edwards admits he won't stick to the 8-minute limit for Hall of Fame speech

Carl Edwards admitted that he would struggle to keep his NASCAR Hall of Fame induction speech within the traditional eight-minute limit. He explained that he has too many people to thank and doesn’t see a way to fit it all within the allotted time.

"You guys know me so well. Bob that's exactly the biggest problem right now. You nailed it," Edwards said in an interview with FOX Sports Bob Pockrass.

"There is no way I'm sticking to the eight minutes, it's impossible. I mean how am I gonna do that? I got so many people to thank and I've got it down to maybe 13 minutes. But I ramble so there's no telling what's gonna happen. It's going to be hard," he added.

Meanwhile, the Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16 at 2:30 PM Eastern time. Catch the action live on FOX, MRN, and SiriusXM