Carl Edwards must have 'monumental' reason for stepping away from NASCAR

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Like everyone, I was shocked by the news that Carl Edwards won't race in 2017.

Edwards is fiercely competitive, devoted to the sport, devoted to winning races and finally winning a NASCAR championship.

He's been close to winning a championship on several occasions, and I feel like each time he misses, it makes him that much more of a threat.

I think he'll have nightmares over that Turn 1 situation at Homestead in the final race last year, when he and Joey Logano had contact and Carl crashed. It cost him the championship, no ifs, ands or buts about it.

For whatever reason he elects to make a career change, or make a change in his personal life that affects his professional life, it's going to have to be pretty monumental.

It's historical in nature, because this man is not a quitter. I just don't think there are very many things that would sidetrack him.

I do know his family is a very high priority. He's very protective of them and doesn't let his children appear in any articles. He keeps them very much off the radar. I think he's that protective of them and that proud of them.

Whatever's going on in his world right now, it's not spinning forwards, it's spinning backwards.