Driver’s future: retire or return?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a stunning decision, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards is walking away from the final year of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing less than two months after nearly winning his first Cup championship, two people with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.
Joe Gibbs Racing scheduled two news conferences Wednesday in which Edwards is expected to announce he will not drive the No. 19 Toyota next season. The second announcement is that reigning Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez will replace Edwards in the Cup Series. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because the team and Edwards had not announced the move.
Edwards, 37, informed team owner Joe Gibbs right before Christmas that he no longer wanted to compete, the people told AP, confirming a decision first reported by Fox Sports.
“This is comparable to Barry Sanders’ retirement back in 1999, shocking and with loads of ability and time left in a very successful career,” said Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. Edwards was a four-time winner at Texas in the Cup Series.
“I talked to Carl about a month ago and he didn’t give any indication that he was considering this,” Gossage said. “It is a shock that just doesn’t seem real.”
Edwards might not be done for good: He simply could be sitting out one year of competition for a myriad of reasons, and there could be jobs waiting for him in 2018. Tony Stewart has retired and has a four-car lineup that is moving this year to Ford, where Edwards was closely aligned before he spent the past two seasons driving for Gibbs.
Also, concerns about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s concussion history, plus underperformance by Kasey Kahne, could open seats in the future at Hendrick Motorsports. Edwards, who is married to a doctor who specializes in neurological rehabilitation, also could be scared by Earnhardt’s concussion problems.
Edwards has given no indication what he’s thinking or what the future might hold. In a text message, he wrote: “I’m kinda hungry. Going to Subway!” in reference to his longtime sponsor. He also stated simply: “All good.”
Neither Fox Sports or NBC Sports has a role planned for Edwards in 2017, although he has done analyst work on a semi-regular basis the past several years.
Edwards came oh-so-close to winning his first Cup championship in November’s season finale. He was leading all championship contenders with 10 laps remaining at Homestead-Miami Speedway until a caution set up a restart that bunched the field. Edwards tried to block Joey Logano’s attempt to take the lead, and it caused a crash that ended Edwards’ title bid.