“He would be out there bleeding right now”: When Carl Edwards expressed his anger at Tony Stewart

Former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards was known for his cheerful persona and positive attitude with other drivers, and healthy competition during his time in the Cup Series. However, there was one incident with Tony Stewart that left a mark on his competitive career.

Edwards's full-time debut with Rousch Racing in 2006 was one of the strongest rookie performances the sport witnessed at the time. He was able to grab four victories and 18 top-ten finishes. He also gathered 6498 points and finished in third place in the standings, just 35 points less than Stewart who won the title.

At the time, it seemed likely that he would go on to win the Cup Series Championship in the next season. However, 2006 wasn't as successful. He did not add any more triumphs to his racing portfolio that season.

Moreover, he shared a bitter moment with Tony Stewart that was particularly unusual given his personality.

While racing in Pocono that year, Stewart made contact with Clint Bowyer, who in turn wrecked Carl Edwards, ending his race and relegating him to a disappointing 39th position. A visibly frustrated Edwards released a brutal statement against Tony Stewart after the race, saying:

"If not for my respect for the sport, he would be out there bleeding right now. How does a person make it this far in life being that much of a jerk?"

Edwards later apologized, stating that he should have talked to Stewart directly instead of engaging with the media.

"What I did wrong was making it a personal attack," Carl Edwards said. "If I could change it, I would have gone and talked to Tony, not the media. I said some things I shouldn't have said. For that, I apologize. I hope it's water under the bridge."

"I'd do anything in the world for Tony. I think he's a good guy. I hope we can put it behind us. If we go to Daytona, draft together and finish 1-2, that would be fine with me," he added.

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Tony Stewart hit back at Carl Edwards for his words

Weeks after the incident and Edwards's scathing public remarks, Tony Stewart, who would later co-own Haas CNC Racing, retaliated. He declared that if Edwards wanted a fight, he should be prepared, and that he wouldn't be deterred by any NASCAR fines because he had enough saved.

"The next time that I hear Carl tell me that he's going to make me bleed, he better be ready to do it right then and there," Stewart said. "I don't care what the fine is from NASCAR. I've got $50,000 saved."

The 2008 season saw Carl Edwards finish the season in 2nd place, which was the best he could achieve in his career. He repeated this result in 2011, driving the same #99 Ford.