Carl Edwards

Carl Michael Edwards II was born on August 15, 1979 in Columbia, Missouri. Before Edwards became a race-car driver, he was working as a substitute school teacher in Missouri. His big break came in 2002, when he competed in seven NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events for MB Motorsports. His best finish was 8th at the Kansas Speedway. He also ran one Busch Series race for Bost Motorsports, finishing 38th at Gateway International Raceway.

That was enough to impress Jack Roush, and in 2003 Edwards became a full-time Truck Series competitor driving the #99 Ford F-150 sponsored by Superchips. That year he won Rookie-of-the-Year honors while also winning three races and eventually finishing 8th in the points standings at the end of the season. In 2004, he notched three more race wins, including the season-opening Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at the Daytona International Speedway. At season's end, Edwards finished 4th in the points.

In August 2004, he made his NEXTEL Cup Series debut, replacing Jeff Burton, who left the team, in the No. 99 Ford Taurus for Roush Racing, at the Michigan International Speedway. In 2007 Edwards won the NASCAR Busch Series championship and nearly won the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, but lost by a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart. In July 2014 it was announced that Edwards would be parting ways with Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season.

Edwards is known for stopping his car at the finish line and doing a back flip off of it after winning a race.