![Reinhold Matay FILE - Champion Carl Edwards poses with his trophy at the NASCAR Busch Series auto racing awards banquet in Orlando, Fla., Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/bce64d6cab2c4363bf952a2012868aec/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Champion Carl Edwards poses with his trophy at the NASCAR Busch Series auto racing awards banquet in Orlando, Fla., Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay, File)
![Bob Brodbeck FILE - Carl Edwards does a backflip at the finish line after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., June 17, 2007. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Bob Brodbeck, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/f25e1112871947b9b951f0ab8d4f7171/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Carl Edwards does a backflip at the finish line after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., June 17, 2007. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Bob Brodbeck, File)
![John Locher FILE - Carl Edwards speaks during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto racing awards Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in Las Vegas. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/970f4eee95de4019a97882a448784397/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Carl Edwards speaks during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto racing awards Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in Las Vegas. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
![Lm Otero FILE - Carl Edwards celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/b0e3ff88253c41d7977f6626b5e107cb/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Carl Edwards celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
![Ed Zurga FILE - Carl Edwards sits in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 15, 2016. Ricky Rudd, the tough-as-nails driver from Virginia, was selected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, along with Edwards and mechanic and race strategist Ralph Moody, who made it in on the pioneer ballot. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/58b6eb818d0741afba71330089565bd8/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Carl Edwards sits in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 15, 2016. Ricky Rudd, the tough-as-nails driver from Virginia, was selected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, along with Edwards and mechanic and race strategist Ralph Moody, who made it in on the pioneer ballot. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)
![Jason Hirschfeld FILE - Carl Edwards takes the checkered flag around the track as he celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/8776a0bb74fe4fe0a0c051a75d6988ae/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Carl Edwards takes the checkered flag around the track as he celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. Edwards, one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week based on his 28 career Cup victories. He said his election to the Hall was a surprise he didn’t see coming. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld, File)