Carl Edwards addresses long-standing NASCAR theory | Sports News

NASCAR legend Carl Edwards has cleared up a long-standing theory that Roush Racing tied drivers down to contracts which left them “underpaid”. The newly-inducted Hall of Famer spent the bulk of his profession with the Jack Roush-owned group, earlier than retiring from the game back in 2016.

Now 45, the two-time Cup Series runner-up has regarded back over his days behind the wheel of his well-known No. 99 Ford Fusion. The man from Missouri made historical past for his group during his glittering profession, profitable the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series championship, whereas coming agonizingly close to Cup glory in each 2008 and 2011.

The Amazon Prime analyst additionally confirmed that he nonetheless feels a great deal of loyalty in the direction of Roush Racing as he hit back at hypothesis over drivers receiving “minimal pay” for his or her efforts. During a wide-ranging interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr., he put this rumor to mattress with an emphatic response.

Earnhardt Jr. introduced the view held by some in motorsports circles, by asserting on Dale Jr Download: “The rumor or this perspective was that they underpaid, they would typically lock in a guy like yourself that was dying to become a race car driver into a long contract on very minimal pay.”

However, it appeared that Edwards was happy to give a definitive statement on these rumors, as he took his opportunity to set the record straight on the subject, once and for all. He answered: “Thanks for asking this, that’s fascinating. It’s not true for me in any respect.

“Oh, second year I drove for him…He said, Hey, I know it says in the contract you’re going to make this, we’re going to add X amount. You’re doing great, we’re just adding money, I thought that’s crazy and then from then on, I’m telling you, if anything I was overpaid, and if anything, they were more generous than they should.”

Ultimately, Edwards nonetheless retains a great deal of gratitude in the direction of Roush for giving him an alternative to pursue his desires. He added: “A lot of people wonder why I stayed with Jack Roush for 19 years. Well, it’s because he’s the only one that would give me a chance, and I never forgot it.”

The retired ace additionally opened up on his retirement, some 9 years since stepping away from NASCAR. He mentioned of the expertise: “I was really a little bit lost. I would go places, you would walk into a room where the year before everyone was like ‘oh it’s Carl, man I watched the race, how’s everything going, what you got next?’

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“And I all the time felt actually snug as a result of it was like ‘we’re preparing for Darlington’ and people for years have been like ‘how’s your season going?’ and I’d be like ‘I’m not racing anymore’, and so they’d take a look at you want what the hell are you speaking about.”

Edwards recalled feeling “embarrassed” to inform people that he was no longer competiting, adding: “It was so unusual, and I felt embarrassed telling people ‘properly actually I’m making an attempt to be a good Dad, I’m making an attempt to be a good husband’, and so they’d take a look at me like ‘okay’.

“I remember somebody really high up in the sport called me about six months through the first year and said ‘hey, you done being on vacation, you done playing? You coming back?’, and I get it.”