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

Former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, who is being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, talked about exceeding the time limit for his speech on Friday night. Edwards competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for 13 years but retired out of the blue in 2017. The Missouri native, along with Ricky Rudd and three others, will be honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony in Charlotte.

When asked if he would stick to the eight-minute speech limit during a recent virtual interview with Fox Sport's Bob Pockrass, Edwards laughed and said:

"You guys know me so well. Bob that's exactly the biggest problem right now. You nailed it."

Edwards further admitted that staying under the time limit will be a challenge.

"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," Edwards said.

Edwards debuted in NASCAR in 2002 and won 72 races across the three main series, including 28 in the Cup Series. He was a runner-up in the Cup championship twice. In 2011, he lost the title to Tony Stewart in a tie-breaker and in 2016, a late caution led to a crash that cost him the championship.

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"I felt odd about that" - Carl Edwards on leaving NASCAR eight years ago

Carl Edwards started his Cup Series career with Jack Roush's team and had an 11-year stint with the team, also winning the Xfinity Series championship in 2007.

Edwards left Roush Fenway Racing to join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 and stepped away from his multi-year contract in January 2017. He was 37 and at the peak of his career.

"I can’t separate my life from this sport. And I walked away eight years ago. I turned my back, and I walked out of the room. It was scary, and over the last eight years, I felt odd about that. But for NASCAR to welcome me back, it’s made me realize that this sport is a part of me," Edwards said.

The 45-year-old won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2015 and finished the season fifth in points. He won three races the following year and ended in fourth place after losing the championship to Jimmie Johnson.

After Kyle Larson mentioned that he would like him to practice his No. 5 car at the All-Star Race, Edwards was open to the opportunity after some practice.

"No, it’s never a total no. I like options, but I don’t know. I’d say, yeah, it’s no for now, but I’d drive a sim and check it out," Carl Edwards told Bob Pockrass.

Carl Edwards was named one of NASCAR's 75 greatest drivers in 2023.