Fansided

Carl Edwards says ‘not right now’ but won’t rule out NASCAR return

By Nick Tylwalk

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Carl Edwards looks on during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 3, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Carl Edwards looks on during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 3, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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Absence seems to be making the heart of Carl Edwards grow fonder for NASCAR.

For all the NASCAR fans hoping Carl Edwards might come riding to the rescue of their favorite race team or just longing to see another victory backflip, he just left the door for a potential return cracked open ever so slightly, while at the same time suggesting it wasn’t imminent.

To be fair, that’s always been the stance for Edwards, who took great care not to use the word ‘retirement’ when he unexpectedly stepped away from driving before the 2017 NASCAR season. He has so far stuck to his stated plans of spending more time with family, but he pops up every once and a while in the garage, always smashing the gas on the Silly Season rumor mill when he does.

One of those appearances was this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, where Edwards visited the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team and made some rounds before talking on-camera with NBC Sports. The 39-year-old Missouri native admitted he missed the competition, especially the kind of pressure that compels athletes to perform their best like the late stages of the NASCAR Playoffs.

He also detailed how what he found himself craving the most was not necessarily more success, but rather the chance to test himself against the other top drivers every week. Could he be lured back to that life?

“Who knows?” Edwards said. “Maybe someday I’ll be back in, both feet. And if I do, I guarantee you it’ll be 100 percent.”

Still, Edwards isn’t planning on giving up his post-racing life right away. He told Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton that some of his adventures away from the track have included sailing across the Atlantic Ocean twice (earning him the nickname ‘Buckets’ for getting seasick in the process) and training for mountain bike races.

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Alas, he stuck to his assertion that he was not hunting for a ride at the moment, so fans hoping to see him back behind the wheel will have to hope he hangs around more tracks and the competitive itch gets even harder for him to scratch.

“Not right now,” Edwards said. “I definitely have an interest in going and driving a little bit, but nothing full-time.”

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