Hendrick Motorsports has met the second by means of overwhelming adversity and withering tragedy for 4 a long time, and Jon Edwards was an unheralded rock of assist throughout many devastating instances.
The group‘s director of communications, whose demise was introduced final Thursday, joined Hendrick in 1994 simply earlier than Jeff Gordon started his run of 4 championships in seven seasons. Edwards was the purpose individual on the No. 24 Chevrolet, however he additionally was massively instrumental in serving to information Hendrick by means of the depths of the 2004 aircraft crash that killed 10 folks.
He did it with unwavering professionalism, dignified class and with a free-spirited, pleasant however enigmatic fashion that made Edwards some of the well-liked behind-the-scenes gamers in NASCAR.
“He was the most effective,” Gordon mentioned.
And he labored for the most effective.
Hendrick Motorsports is essentially the most profitable group in NASCAR historical past. Its huge triumphs are inextricably intertwined with deep tribulations. They equally outline the narrative arc that traces a document 14 championships and 315 Cup victories.
So when Kyle Larson, who received the 2021 title with Edwards as his PR rep, dominated to win Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, it might need been considered with an anticipated ingredient of routine. That it was similar to all the opposite instances that the group indefatigably has risen to the event.
Besides it didn‘t really feel that means for the person who knew Edwards like a brother.
“I can’t communicate for everyone on the group, however for me strolling in at this time, it was completely different,” Gordon mentioned. “Yeah, it was robust. I feel that we’ve gone by means of lots as a company over 40 years. When you could have expertise with these issues, you understand, ‘What would that individual need?‘ and attempt to fulfill that.
“Jon would need us to be right here racing and would need us to … I don’t even suppose he would need us to honor him. He would need us to not say his title in any respect. He needs to go underneath the radar and be this type of unsung hero, I suppose. There’s no option to do it every other means for a fantastic like him. Generally it’s therapeutic, however it’s additionally not likely an choice, both. You simply attempt to be taught from it and develop from it and bond collectively as a company and a group collectively, and I feel that’s what Jon goes to do on this case for us.”
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Edwards would have appreciated that his last act was about bringing folks collectively as a result of it‘s what he did on the day by day each personally and professionally.
A St. Petersburg Occasions reporter who lined a plethora {of professional} and faculty groups as soon as mentioned Gordon was “essentially the most accessible famous person in sports activities,” and that was a significant credit score to Edwards, who didn‘t discriminate whereas granting numerous interview requests to small-town newspapers and nationwide media retailers.
He performed almost as massive of a job as Gordon did within the four-time champion changing into a darling of Madison Avenue within the late Nineties.
“What I liked about working with Jon is that he would name me out or put an emphasis on issues that have been priorities,” Gordon mentioned. “Generally you get caught up in going week to week that you just not at all times are wanting to place among the alternatives that come your means first. Jon was at all times nice of simply presenting it in a means of, ‘Hey, I feel it is a nice alternative, and if we don’t do it at this time, possibly you are able to do it tomorrow or one other time, however it is advisable do it.’ When he mentioned that, you then’re, like, ‘Completely.‘ If he believed in it, then I believed in it.”
Edwards additionally was a convincing ringleader away from the observe. The longtime resident of Charlotte as soon as was referred to as “The Mayor of Taco Tuesday Trivia” for a big group of 20- and 30-something NASCAR trade and media sorts who met weekly at an Uptown watering gap. Edwards at all times arrived first to carry a big desk for a number of hours whereas imbibing copious quantities of Guinness and $1 hen and beef tacos.
WATCH: Cliff Daniels on his post-race message
His zest for having enjoyable was contagious because the commissioner of fantasy soccer leagues — each with the NFL and the English Premier League (the long-suffering Arsenal fan liked to commerce barbs about his beloved Gunners, who ranked alongside the North Carolina Tar Heels as his favorites).
He liked betting on just about all sports activities, as soon as randomly turning an ESPN.com promotion referred to as “Streak for The Money” right into a full-fledged betting operation that included a number of Cup drivers. He normally carried an enormous wad of money to peel off massive payments to weekly winners.
“He liked to eat and eat life,” Gordon mentioned with fun. “I’ve actually loved this week speaking to some people that I haven’t talked to in a few years. Jon simply had pals from all completely different walks of life and liked all types of motorsports. Simply listening to a few of these tales and issues I didn’t know or hadn’t heard.”
There was a benevolent hedonism to Edwards‘ incessant worldly travels, which took him to Spa for F1 and London for EPL video games (or generally Aruba only for enjoyable). Although explicit about planning his personal journeys, he usually invited many to go together with him — and there could be no judgment in the event that they couldn‘t go or in the event that they selected to deviate from a meticulous itinerary designed by a grasp of logistics.
As Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson famous in an eloquent social media publish: “He handled everybody like they have been a very powerful a part of his day. It didn‘t matter what the difficulty was or who you have been, you have been handled like gold.”
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However Edwards may very well be fastidious about shepherding Gordon‘s schedule. If a reporter tried to surpass the allotted time, it normally was a agency no.
All could be forgotten a number of hours later and some IPAs deep at Edwards‘ favourite brewery in no matter city the NASCAR circus was visiting that week. (If pressured to choose, Edwards is perhaps a fan of Dogfish Head Brewing in Delaware, although he additionally loved all kinds of Belgian and German beers — generally the extra unique the higher).
In a sport stuffed with cantankerous personalities, he counted just about everybody in NASCAR as a pal, however he additionally was intensely non-public. NASCAR‘s Worldwide Man of Thriller additionally had a mischievous facet.
“He would at all times come as much as me earlier than each race, ‘Hey, Cliff, after we dominate later, we’re going to do that, this and this after the race,‘ ” crew chief Cliff Daniels mentioned. “I’m an enormous, ‘Don’t jinx it,‘ man. I’m at all times like, ‘Jon, no, you’ll be able to’t say, ‘Once we win.’ However each Sunday, ‘Yeah, after we kick their ass at this time, Cliff, we’re going to do that later.‘ I loved that interplay earlier than each race as a result of he knew that it was enjoyable to say but additionally that it will type of twist me a bit of.”
So thus it was becoming that Larson led 411 of 500 laps at Bristol, and Edwards‘ devilish confidence could be proved proper once more.
As Larson eloquently mentioned Friday, Edwards wouldn‘t need anybody to be unhappy about his passing. He was at all times a contented individual — however that additionally doesn‘t make this a contented ending for Hendrick Motorsports.
As a result of amid all of the checkered flags, there‘s by no means any ending for this group that may‘t be saved down.
Hendrick will carry on conquering the despair. However as Edwards‘ loss confirmed, it by no means will get any simpler.
Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 whereas working on the San Bernardino Solar, Richmond Occasions-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the previous 10 years at NBC Sports activities Digital. He’s a contributor to the “Hauler Discuss” present on the NASCAR Podcast Community. He additionally has lined varied different motorsports, together with the IndyCar and IMSA collection.
