Kyle Larson Wants Carl Edwards Back on Track – And His Response is Pure Gold
With the Daytona 500 fast approaching, the NASCAR rumor mill is in overdrive. Martin Truex Jr. is making a one-off return for the “Great American Race,” Jimmie Johnson is attempting to qualify, and now, there’s buzz around a potential comeback for the former fittest man in NASCAR – Carl Edwards.
The man fueling the speculation? None other than Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, who has thrown a curveball that’s got everyone talking. He wants Edwards to get behind the wheel of his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet—at least for a practice session. And Edwards’ four-word response? Classic Carl: equal parts respect, humor, and a touch of mystery.
Kyle Larson’s Big Ask: A Wild-Card Ride for Edwards?
Larson thrives on pushing boundaries, and in 2025, he’s set to take on one of the most grueling challenges in motorsports once again—competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. His 2024 attempt was wrecked by bad weather, but that hasn’t deterred him. However, while he’s gunning for glory at Indy, his NASCAR Cup Series car will be sitting idle for the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Enter Carl Edwards.
Larson made it clear who he’d love to see fill in for him. “I would love to have Carl Edwards do it,” he told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass. “He’s one of the greatest drivers of all time, and it’d be awesome to see him back in a car, even if it’s just for practice.”
For Edwards, the request is both flattering and nerve-wracking.
“Okay, so there’s two sides, right?” he mused. “There’s the ‘Oh my gosh, Kyle Larson’—I mean, he’s the baddest driver in the world. I really think he is… That car, that team, it would be so much fun to do the race.”
Then came the self-doubt.
“But then the realist in me is like, you haven’t driven a race car for eight years, you’ll screw it all up and it’ll be terrible. So I don’t know what to do about that. Hey Kyle, you’re messing with me! I’m gonna get ya back one way or another. No, really, it’s an honor.”
Edwards’ admiration for Larson is well-founded. The Cup Series star boasts three Chili Bowl titles, a Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona victory, and a NASCAR Championship. Meanwhile, Edwards hasn’t raced since 2016, and the last time he did, it was heartbreak.
The Last Lap: Edwards’ Final Cup Series Race
Homestead-Miami, 2016.
Edwards was 10 laps away from his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship. After 13 years in the sport, he was on the brink of the crowning moment of his career. But in an instant, it was gone. A late-race collision with Joey Logano ended his title hopes in dramatic fashion. That was the last time he sat behind the wheel of a Cup car.
Since then, Edwards has been content with his decision to step away. “I don’t regret leaving,” he has said. But looking back, he admits, “I could have probably done it better.”
Will He Return? “It’s Never a Total No”
When it comes to a return, Edwards isn’t completely shutting the door—but he’s not exactly throwing it wide open either.
“It’s never a total no,” he admitted. “I like options. That is kinda interesting, but I’d have to go run the sim or something like that and see if I can even get around [North Wilkesboro Speedway]. But nobody [at Hendrick Motorsports] officially talked to me about it. It’s no for now, but I’d drive a sim and check it out.”
Could he be rusty? Absolutely—and he’s the first to admit it.
“I’m very likely to crash a car if I were to get in one right now,” he joked.
Still, even the smallest hint of a Carl Edwards return has fans buzzing.
Carl Edwards’ Hall of Fame Moment: A Speech to Remember
While Kyle Larson’s offer has put Edwards back in the headlines, he’s also been making waves for a completely different reason—his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The 45-year-old Missouri native, famous for his backflip celebrations and 28 Cup Series wins, joined the Hall alongside Ricky Rudd and Ralph Moody.
But leading up to the event, he was stressing over one thing—his speech.
“You guys know me so well,” he laughed in a chat with Bob Pockrass. “Staying under the eight-minute limit? That’s the biggest problem right now. There’s no way I’m sticking to eight minutes. I’ve got it down to maybe 13 minutes, but I ramble, so there’s no telling what’s gonna happen.”
Turns out, he wasn’t even close.
His “eight-minute” speech stretched to 20 minutes, and nobody minded. Speaking straight from the heart, Edwards reflected on his dirt-track beginnings, his shocking retirement, and the journey in between.
“I thought I was truly turning my back on this whole sport,” he admitted. “But what you’ve done here is let me win both ways.”
Then came the most powerful moment of the night—his reflection on faith.
“I realized that all that time in the car, all the people that loved me, all the amazing opportunities… I wasn’t alone. God is real.”
By the time he finished, there weren’t many dry eyes in the room.
Will We See Carl Edwards in a Race Car Again?
For now, Carl Edwards seems content soaking in his Hall of Fame moment, reflecting on his legacy, and enjoying life away from the weekly grind. But with Kyle Larson knocking on the door and fans rallying for one more ride, the possibility of a return—however small—remains.
And in the world of NASCAR, “never say never” is always in play.
