Columbia native Carl Edwards won’t compete in NASCAR in 2017

NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series may have seen its last victory backflip from Carl Edwards.

Edwards, 37, a Columbia native and one of auto racing’s biggest stars, is expected to announce Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., that he will step away from Joe Gibbs Racing effective immediately.

The NASCAR world was stunned Tuesday morning as news broke of the notoriously private Edwards’ decision.

“I was really surprised,” Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren said. “Obviously, he’s performing at the pinnacle of the sport right now. I have tremendous respect and admiration for him. … It’s not clear to me right now whether it’s a one-year break or a permanent retirement or what he’s doing, but I would guess he’s making this decision for himself and his family and what he thinks is right.”

Edwards — a 13-year Cup series veteran who hasn’t confirmed he’s retiring but won’t race in 2017 — exits as arguably the best driver from his generation without a Cup title on his résumé.

His rationale for stepping away this season remains unclear, but it is not health related, according to a source close to Edwards. Both Fox and NBC, the sport’s major broadcast partners, also told The Star that Edwards isn’t transitioning to a TV role.

In a text message to The Associated Press, Edwards did not clarify his situation. He wrote: “I’m kinda hungry. Going to Subway!” in reference to his sponsor. “All good.”

One thing is clear, Edwards will be missed.

“He’s a huge name in our sport and a dominant figure ,” Emporia, Kan., native and fellow Cup driver Clint Bowyer said. “ … We kind of came up, two kids from the Midwest, and raced our way to the top. I know he was very proud of that, coming from humble beginnings and making a name for himself in a big way.”

During his first full Cup season in 2005, Edwards tied for second in points with Greg Biffle and later was the runner-up in 2008.

He tied with Tony Stewart for the championship in 2011, but was declared the runner-up on a tiebreaker after finishing second behind Stewart by fewer than 1.5 seconds in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Last November, Edwards was leading in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship race at Homestead before he wrecked with 10 laps remaining, trying to block Joey Logano from overtaking him for the lead on a restart.

If that’s the last time he ever dons a fire suit, Edwards — who Bowyer called a “tenacious, hard-nosed racer” — also will be remembered for his classy demeanor.

After wrecking himself out of the 2016 Chase and irreparably damaging Logano’s chances, Edwards walked to Logano’s pit stall and apologized to crew chief Todd Gordon.

“I think that is a pretty good representation of his personality and his character and his career,” Warren said. “ … (His exit) is a loss for the sport overall in the sense of anytime you lose somebody with his character and integrity.”

Edwards, who drove for Roush Fenway Racing during 2004-15 before joining the Gibbs team for the last two seasons, won 28 races on the Cup circuit, claimed 22 poles, amassed 124 top-five finishes and 220 top-10 finishes in 445 career starts.

“Carl’s a fan favorite, he’s a sponsor favorite and the guy doesn’t do anything wrong,” said Bowyer, who joins Stewart-Haas Racing as the now-retired Stewart’s replacement this season. “He made a name for himself and did it all for the right reasons by winning races and doing what we all come to do.”

Edwards always coveted a win at Kansas Speedway, which he considered his home track, but settled for two runner-up finishes, including a second-place finish behind Kevin Harvick during his last appearance in October in the 2016 Hollywood Casino 400.

Edwards, who qualified for the Chase for the Cup in nine of the last 10 seasons, also won a title in the Xfinity Series in 2007.

He was the series runner-up four other times and won 38 times on NASCAR’s second tier, collecting 130 top-fives and 174 top-10s in 245 starts.

Edwards — who has more than $100 million in combined career earnings plus sponsorship agreements, including serving as a national spokesman for Subway — also won six of 60 career starts on the Camping World Truck Series, including wins at Daytona and Kansas Speedway during the 2004 season.

“That kid’s done enough,” Bowyer said. “He’s won 28 times in this sport and been up front and in the running virtually every single year that it’s possible. He’s a champion without a doubt. He’s won in everything you’ve ever put him in, so there’s nobody going to argue he won’t go down as one of the greats in the sport.”

Edwards resides with his wife, who is a doctor, and two young children in Columbia. It’s an unusual arrangement as most NASCAR drivers live in the Charlotte area, but his career was always unusual.

“Edwards will be remembered as a guy that no one knew in the beginning,” three-time Cup champion and NASCAR on Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip said. “He started out handing out business cards at the track, looking for a ride, and got a great opportunity he was able to capitalize on.

“He fought for a couple of championships, won a lot of races and was well-liked. He started with nothing and ended up as an extremely recognizable figure in the sport.”

Edwards, who flies himself between mid-Missouri and Charlotte on his own plane, informed team owner Joe Gibbs of the decision shortly before Christmas, according to The Associated Press.

Reigning Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez, a native of Mexico, will replace Edwards at Joe Gibbs Racing.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Columbia native Carl Edwards won’t compete in NASCAR in 2017."