NASCAR Driver Carl Edwards: 10 Reasons to Love Carl Edwards

I'm a fan of NASCAR and I can thank Carl Edwards for that fact. Watching Carl Edwards wheel around his #99 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup races is how I love to spend a Sunday afternoon. It's always better when I can be at the race to watch it in person, but even when watching it on TV I am focused on where that 99 Ford is running. Because I'm one of the biggest Carl Edwards fans there is, I thought I would share with you 10 Reasons that you too, should love Carl!

#10- Before Carl became a NASCAR driver; he was a substitute teacher in Columbia, Missouri. Even now that Carl Edwards is a well known and highly paid NASCAR driver; he is still serving his community. Edwards is a reserve deputy sheriff in Boone County, Missouri!

#9- Carl Edwards is a family man. He married Kate Downey who is a doctor who specializes in patients with traumatic brain injuries. On February 24, 2010, Carl and Kate Edwards welcomed their first child, baby girl Anne Edwards.

#8-Carl Edwards has been voted the "fittest driver in NASCAR" and encourages others to get fit and healthy. Every year he rides his bicycle from Columbia to the St. Louis area for the Nationwide Series NASCAR race at Gateway International Speedway. That is about a 125 mile bike ride just to get to work!

#7- The driver of the 99 Ford Fusion is primarily sponsored by Aflac. Carl is involved in raising money for Aflac's Cancer Center and often visits sick kids at the Cancer Center. He takes part in the Beads of Courage campaign to raise money for the arts in medicine program for kids fighting serious illnesses. "When I visit the Aflac Cancer Center I am moved by the courage of these heroic children," Edwards said. "My personal experience with Beads of Courage inspired me; so I am proud to be a part of this program."

#6- Carl gives many interviews, including TV interviews taking place right before his race starts. He ALWAYS lifts up or takes off his sunglasses so that the person interviewing him and the fans watching on TV can really see him. It's a respect thing and it has been praised by many in the media. Some drivers have begun to emulate Edwards by removing their sunglasses, but most still do not.

#5- The driver of the Aflac Ford is wonderful to his fans and NASCAR fans in general. He takes the time to not only thank his sponsors before and after races, but to thank his fans as well. He will always stop to take a picture or sign an autograph for a fan if he is not rushing to get to a driver's meeting. Right before he gets into his car for a race, you will still see him taking pictures with fans and shaking hands. You can see his personal videos to fans on his Facebook fan page.

#4- Though he is a nice guy overall, he will stand up for his team and his self both on and off the track. Don't expect Carl Edwards to back down during a race or to accept being wrecked; just ask driver's Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick or Brad Keselowski about that. As a fan, I expect him to drive hard and not get pushed around.

#3- Many drivers (see Kyle or Kurt Busch) can be heard on their team radios during and after races yelling at and berating their team for not performing to their standards, but you won't hear that from Carl Edwards. He is a motivator for his team and enjoys pumping them up even after they have had a bad pit stop. I've heard him many times tell his team, "Shake it off. You guys are better than that so just keep working hard and we'll be fine."

#2- Carl Edwards already has 49 wins in NASCAR from his days in the Truck Series, the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series. He is the 2007 Champion in the Nationwide Series which was at that time known as the Busch Series. He is currently in the hunt for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

#1- The back flip is Carl Edwards' race winning celebratory trademark. When Carl wins a race he climbs out of his driver side window, stands on the window edge and then does a back flip off the car and onto the race track. The crowd always goes crazy for his back flip! Having seen it twice in person I can say it is worth the cheers it receives.

So there you go; 10 reasons to love Carl Edwards. I'm proud that he is my NASCAR driver and I look forward to many more back flips in the future.

Source: The authors personal opinion based on being a Carl Edwards fan. Carledwards.com, nascar.com

Check out these related articles written by Sherri Thornhill:

NASCAR's Carl Edwards: Driver of the 99 Aflac Ford Fusion

Why some fans hate NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson

NASCAR rookie Joey Logano Wins First Cup Race

Danica Patrick Impressive in First Stockcar Race

Video-Opening laps of a NASCAR Cup Race at TMS

NASCAR Mexico Series Driver Killed