NASCAR's Carl Edwards is retiring?

[blueschica]

A person close to Carl Edwards has told the press that he will be announcing his retirement from racing in a press conference tomorrow. I know, not many here on TRF follow NASCAR, but he is someone in the prime of his career and this is coming out of nowhere. The racing season starts in one month. This is similar to Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers retiring right before training camp starts. I hope that Edwards is OK and not battling some kind of illness or something.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/01/10/carl-edwards-retires-nascar-joe-gibbs-racing/96388940/

[ILSnwdog]

Holy crap. The dude is only 37. He's still in his prime!

[KenJennings]

This is a bizarre story. Something has got to be up. They've already got cars painted with his name on them. They've already released promotional gear and his twitter account (not personally updated) has been posting comments enthusiastic about returning in 2017 as recently as two or three weeks ago.

 

Something big went down in the past week or two. The rumor mills are flying with speculation. I've heard everything from negatives like Illness, drugs, family problems, or scandals- to suggestions that he's been offered a TV deal, or that he's simply retiring for a year so that he can get out of his contract with Toyota and Gibbs, only to come back in 2018 as the face of returning Dodge...

 

I don't know what to think. It's just a bizarre situation. I just hope all is well with him.

[Ancient Ways]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

[Slack jaw gaze]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

[Ancient Ways]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

[Fordgalaxy]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

 

They know the optimum time to activate their turn signals. They know the perfect following distance for any given speed and road condition. They can back into a parking spot and get within 1/4 inch of the parking block or another vehicle without a backup camera. They can maintain any given speed without using cruise control. Stuff like that.

[ILSnwdog]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart, Darrell Waltrip, and Dale Jarrett all won championships after they were 37. You don't see many drivers pushing 50 winning championships.

[ILSnwdog]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

 

They know the optimum time to activate their turn signals. They know the perfect following distance for any given speed and road condition. They can back into a parking spot and get within 1/4 inch of the parking block or another vehicle without a backup camera. They can maintain any given speed without using cruise control. Stuff like that.

You try staying in your lane while getting road head after you turn 40. It ain't easy!

[Fordgalaxy]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

 

They know the optimum time to activate their turn signals. They know the perfect following distance for any given speed and road condition. They can back into a parking spot and get within 1/4 inch of the parking block or another vehicle without a backup camera. They can maintain any given speed without using cruise control. Stuff like that.

You try staying in your lane while getting road head after you turn 40. It ain't easy!

 

After watching The World According to Garp, road head makes me quite nervous.

[KenJennings]

OK, I'm over Carl Edwards. Yesterday, I was concerned for his well-being, but knowing now that he's just quitting because he feels like it, I'm done.

 

This unprofessional little stunt is too much. I thought he'd matured from the guy who raised fists to teammates and tried to kill Brad Keselowski (

), but he hasn't. Now he waits til 2 weeks before Daytona testing to pull the rug out on his team, sponsors and fans; stringing along the whole NASCAR community because he wants to go out on his own terms. Self-centered. I'm not gonna celebrate this guy.

 

 

[blueschica]

OK, I'm over Carl Edwards. Yesterday, I was concerned for his well-being, but knowing now that he's just quitting because he feels like it, I'm done.

 

This unprofessional little stunt is too much. I thought he'd matured from the guy who raised fists to teammates and tried to kill Brad Keselowski (

), but he hasn't. Now he waits til 2 weeks before Daytona testing to pull the rug out on his team, sponsors and fans; stringing along the whole NASCAR community because he wants to go out on his own terms. Self-centered. I'm not gonna celebrate this guy.

 

So he's just leaving because he feels like it? (I was at the dentist this AM.) Pretty unprofessional to leave JGR hanging right at the start of the season when another driver could have benefitted by being offered his spot if it had all happened earlier. I guess the Suarez guy moves up faster now?

[KenJennings]

OK, I'm over Carl Edwards. Yesterday, I was concerned for his well-being, but knowing now that he's just quitting because he feels like it, I'm done.

 

This unprofessional little stunt is too much. I thought he'd matured from the guy who raised fists to teammates and tried to kill Brad Keselowski (

), but he hasn't. Now he waits til 2 weeks before Daytona testing to pull the rug out on his team, sponsors and fans; stringing along the whole NASCAR community because he wants to go out on his own terms. Self-centered. I'm not gonna celebrate this guy.

 

So he's just leaving because he feels like it? (I was at the dentist this AM.) Pretty unprofessional to leave JGR hanging right at the start of the season when another driver could have benefitted by being offered his spot if it had all happened earlier. I guess the Suarez guy moves up faster now?

 

Yep. That's the long and short of it.

 

Suarez gets the nod, which the sponsor actually probably loves, since Carlos Slim (billionaire owner of a huge Mexican telecom industry, including Arris Modems) hand picked Suarez to be his entry into American Motorsports.

[Aikenrooster]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

I'm not a race fan, by any means, but, have you ever driven in bumper to bumper traffic? If so, for how long? What were the speeds?

 

I would imagine that NASCAR racing has to be one of the most enduring feats of mental and physical stamina in the entire sports world: you're going 175 mph, and you're literally 2 inches from the car in front of you, for at least 4 hours. You literally have to rely on spotters to make lane changes, since you can't turn your head. You have to run certain imaginary lines on the track as to not use up the tires as quickly, and the car either doesn't want to turn into the corners or the azz end wants to fly around you coming out of the turns. All it takes, literally, is for someone to barely touch you, or for the wind to catch your car the wrong way and you wreck. It would be like driving in traffic, in a blizzard, 175 mph, for 4 hours. I wouldn't last 1 hour, to be honest.

[Ancient Ways]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

I'm not a race fan, by any means, but, have you ever driven in bumper to bumper traffic? If so, for how long? What were the speeds?

 

I would imagine that NASCAR racing has to be one of the most enduring feats of mental and physical stamina in the entire sports world: you're going 175 mph, and you're literally 2 inches from the car in front of you, for at least 4 hours. You literally have to rely on spotters to make lane changes, since you can't turn your head. You have to run certain imaginary lines on the track as to not use up the tires as quickly, and the car either doesn't want to turn into the corners or the azz end wants to fly around you coming out of the turns. All it takes, literally, is for someone to barely touch you, or for the wind to catch your car the wrong way and you wreck. It would be like driving in traffic, in a blizzard, 175 mph, for 4 hours. I wouldn't last 1 hour, to be honest.

I can see that it favors a certain type of mentality or personality but I still don't see why a specific age is more prime than others in a specific period. It's obvious why an adult would be better than a child and why a senior citizen would have issues but other than that I'm stumped.

[thesweetscience]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

I'm not a race fan, by any means, but, have you ever driven in bumper to bumper traffic? If so, for how long? What were the speeds?

 

I would imagine that NASCAR racing has to be one of the most enduring feats of mental and physical stamina in the entire sports world: you're going 175 mph, and you're literally 2 inches from the car in front of you, for at least 4 hours. You literally have to rely on spotters to make lane changes, since you can't turn your head. You have to run certain imaginary lines on the track as to not use up the tires as quickly, and the car either doesn't want to turn into the corners or the azz end wants to fly around you coming out of the turns. All it takes, literally, is for someone to barely touch you, or for the wind to catch your car the wrong way and you wreck. It would be like driving in traffic, in a blizzard, 175 mph, for 4 hours. I wouldn't last 1 hour, to be honest.

I can see that it favors a certain type of mentality or personality but I still don't see why a specific age is more prime than others in a specific period. It's obvious why an adult would be better than a child and why a senior citizen would have issues but other than that I'm stumped.

Studies have shown that reflexes and cognitive processes slow down as we age. Racing at that level is so on the edge that even a slight degradation of these functions makes you not able to effectively compete. We are not talking about driving in traffic on the way to work. We are talking about bumper to bumper racing at very high speeds against some of the best drivers in the world. This generally holds true if you look at the productivity of some of he greatest drivers there ever was once they got past 40 and start towards 50. Earnhardt, Petty, Gordon, Stewart.....they all become less of a factor week to week as they get past that 40 year old mark.

 

So yeah 37 is probably late prime but still very much in the prime of a racing career.

Edited January 12, 2017 by thesweetscience

[Ancient Ways]

I'm 50 and I promise you my reflexes and cognitive abilities are just as good as when I was 37. I think everyone is different. What I will say is maybe they just DGAF as much about winning as they have other things in their lives and more than enough money. It's something to consider before making it sound like anyone over 40 is on the edge of senility or death. I'm finding this to be too funny Edited January 12, 2017 by Ancient Ways

[KenJennings]

Dale Earnhardt was 49 when he died, and he was the reigning runner up to the championship.

 

There have been several drivers to race into their 50s successfully. But the ability to take the abuse from wrecks, the ability to tolerate the constant g-forces and physical strain from oppressive heat makes it much more difficult.

[thesweetscience]

Dale Earnhardt was 49 when he died, and he was the reigning runner up to the championship.

 

There have been several drivers to race into their 50s successfully. But the ability to take the abuse from wrecks, the ability to tolerate the constant g-forces and physical strain from oppressive heat makes it much more difficult.

He was also a phenom. Most drivers start to decline post 40. Does that mean they can't compete? No. But are they likely to dominate like they did when they were 28? Not likely.

[thesweetscience]

I'm 50 and I promise you my reflexes and cognitive abilities are just as good as when I was 37. I think everyone is different. What I will say is maybe they just DGAF as much about winning as they have other things in their lives and more than enough money. It's something to consider before making it sound like anyone over 40 is on the edge of senility or death. I'm finding this to be too funny

I am in my mid 40's and said the same thing before I read some studies and watched some tests performed which showed that we don't have the reflexes and response time that we had when we were in our 20's. The difference is slight and you likely do not notice, but trust me, unless you are unique in some way it's there.

[blueschica]

I'm 50 and I promise you my reflexes and cognitive abilities are just as good as when I was 37. I think everyone is different. What I will say is maybe they just DGAF as much about winning as they have other things in their lives and more than enough money. It's something to consider before making it sound like anyone over 40 is on the edge of senility or death. I'm finding this to be too funny

 

That could be in Carl Edwards' case, that he doesn't care. It's very strange, retiring for no reason. I still wonder if he is ill and doesn't want to say or something. I just said prime of his career because he had a very good racing season last year; not because he was a certain age. I think the peak of a NASCAR racer's career could actually be when they are in their 20's or they could be successful in their 40's; it just depends on the individual person and their training and experience.

Edited January 12, 2017 by blueschica

[Slack jaw gaze]

It's weird to hear people talk about someone that drives a car as being in their prime.

Not as weird as to hear people not able to comprehend it.

how is a 37 year old in their prime as a driver versus a 27 or 47 year old exactly?

Apply that question to any athletic endeavor and answer it yourself.

[Slack jaw gaze]

 

This unprofessional little stunt

?

 

Someone can't decide risking their life every week is no longer worth the rewards?

 

[Slack jaw gaze]

I'm 50 and I promise you my reflexes and cognitive abilities are just as good as when I was 37. I think everyone is different. What I will say is maybe they just DGAF as much about winning as they have other things in their lives and more than enough money. It's something to consider before making it sound like anyone over 40 is on the edge of senility or death. I'm finding this to be too funny

Delusional. Proof...Every athlete ever.