It’s been eight years since Carl Edwards last took the wheel of a NASCAR stock car, and he remains one of the most beloved drivers in the sport.
Edwards won 28 Cup Series races across his 13-year career, but he never took home a NASCAR title despite finishing second on two different occasions (2008, 2011).
He finished fourth in 2016 before abruptly retiring at the height of his career. He’ll be back on the track at Kansas Speedway on Sunday – at least in an honorary capacity.
Carl Edwards to drive pace car for Hollywood Casino 400
The longtime NASCAR veteran will lead the field this weekend at Kansas Speedway, which is located just two hours from his hometown of Columbia, Missouri.
“Carl is one of the most personable superstars in our sport’s modern history and is certainly a fan-favorite here at Kansas Speedway,” Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren said in a statement. “We’re thrilled he can join us for what should be an electrifying race.”
Edwards never won a Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track, but he finished second in his final race there in 2016 and boasted an average finish just outside the top 10.
He also won a Truck Series race at Kansas back in 2004, one of his six career wins in the Truck Series and 72 victories overall across NASCAR’s top three series.
Perhaps his most famous race at Kansas came in 2008, when he attempted a video-game style move to pass Jimmie Johnson on the last lap.
Edwards dove to the inside to briefly pass the seven-time champion but slammed back into the wall and couldn’t sustain momentum around the final turn.
He settled for second place, one of his six top-fives in his Cup Series career at Kansas Speedway.
Edwards headed to NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2025
The longtime NASCAR driver’s trip around the track Sunday comes after he was announced as one of the inductees for next year’s Hall of Fame class.
It’s hard to argue with that after Edwards was named one of the sport’s 75 greatest drivers last year.
His 28 wins in the Cup Series rank inside the top 30 all-time, and he was part of the closest finish in NASCAR history when he lost the championship tiebreaker in 2011.
Edwards took the checkered flag in his third-to-last race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2016, one of his three wins in his final season to finish fourth in the standings.