Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Carl Edwards once experienced terminal mechanical failure that ended his race prematurely, resulting in a 36th-place finish and eventually ending his hopes of making the Chase for the Sprint Cup that season.The heartbreaking incident occurred in the NASCAR AdvoCare 500 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2012. That season was marked by frustration and bad luck for Edwards. At Atlanta, his #99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion engine began making an unusual noise before a piston broke, forcing him to retire from the race early with 63 laps remaining.The disappointing finish at Atlanta significantly impacted his chances of qualifying for the 2012 championship. The #99 diver ended the 2012 season winless, with three top 5 finishes, 13 top-10 finishes, and 15th place in the final points standings.Speaking to media after the race, Carl Edwards expressed his disappointment and the shock of how quickly fortunes turned. On his 2012 heartbreak at Atlanta, here’s what Edwards said (via al.com):“I'm not a real religious person but I feel like somebody's trying to teach me a lesson. It's almost too much to put into words. It's so frustrating, so shocking this could happen tonight,”In the 2012 NASCAR season, the former Xfinity Series champion’s inability to capture a single win left him on the outside looking in when it came to the wild card playoff berths, which required victories. Heading into Atlanta, Edwards was at 12th place in the points table, and the race was simply do or die for him.The DNF results not only eliminated him from playoff contention but also marked the first time since 2006 that the Columbia, Missouri, native had missed postseason.“This is not the interview I wanted to do”: Carl Edwards reflects on missing another championship shotFor Carl Edwards, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series season was supposed to be the continuation of a championship story that slipped away by inches just a year earlier. After losing the 2011 title to Tony Stewart in a tiebreaker, Edwards entered 2012 with the fire of unfinished business and high expectation.In the post-race interview, reflecting on his outing, Edwards said (via al.com):“This is not the interview I wanted to do after the race. Our Subway Fusion was pretty good. I was having a lot of fun driving. I love this racetrack, but it looks like a piston or something. It started making noise about 25-30 laps ago and it's just hard to put into words. That's just how our season has been going and I don't know what the reason is. We treat these engines like gold and we hardly ever have engine troubles. These guys do a great job - Doug Yates and everyone at Roush Yates Engines”Carl Edwards, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2025, ended his Cup career with 28 wins, 22 poles, and 220 top-10 finishes. He currently works for NASCAR on Prime Video as an analyst.