"I was blown away, I was shocked": Carl Edwards gets candid about being 'nervous' on his Hall of Fame introduction

Former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards was inducted into NASCAR's Hall of Fame this year alongside two other drivers. Stock car analyst Bob Pockrass shared a clip on his X account, featuring Edwards in an interview with NASCAR on FOX, where he discussed the significance of his induction.

Edwards had a successful career in stock car racing; he secured 28 wins, 220 top-ten finishes, and 22 pole positions in 445 starts in his 13-year career. He finished as the runner-up for the championship title twice in 2008 and 2011. However, the 2016 season ended unexpectedly for Edwards, leading to his retirement from the sport.

Even in his last season in 2016, Carl Edwards stayed competitive, securing three wins. He was even leading the season-ending race, but a sudden caution appeared on the last four laps and turned it into a two-lap sprint. Unfortunately, the NASCAR Cup Series driver crashed on the restart and lost the chance to win his first-ever championship title.

Soon after the incident, the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver announced his retirement from stock car racing and largely remained out of the public eye, rarely appearing at NASCAR events.

Carl Edwards was on a flight when he was elected to the Hall of Fame last May. His wife, Kate, encouraged him to verify the news on his phone.Reflecting upon the same, Edwards stated:

"I know, I left, walked away. I had no clue if I'd come back in six months or a year, but I didn't. I stayed away as one of those things, like, the longer it went. I just thought, you know, I guess that, you know, that cord is cut; it's done. and I got invited back to Darlington."

"I was really nervous to go. You can ask my wife. I just didn't know the reception. and I was blown away. I was shocked. I remember when we did the introduction as late figure with the crowd would do, and they cheered, and I told Dale Jr. said, Oh my gosh, he said. We miss you and I. You don't know how much that means," he added.

Former Richard Childress Racing driver Ricky Rudd was also elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and inducted at the ceremony held at the Charlotte Convention Center on Friday, February 7, 2025.

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Carl Edwards reveals the reason behind his retirement in 2016

After taking a sudden retirement from the sport, Carl Edwards revealed that he wanted to spend more time with his family, stating:

"I needed time."

Carl Edwards tied the knot with his wife Katherine Downey in 2009 and has two kids. Further, he claimed that he accomplished everything he wanted in the sport, and that safety concerns were a key factor in his retirement decision.

After getting involved in a crash during his final season, Edward realized that NASCAR is a "risky sport," and he was lucky to retire without any lasting injuries.

Carl Edwards wrapped up the 2016 season in fourth place with nine top-five and 18 top-ten finishes, followed by six pole positions.