DAYTONA BEACH — One day after the jaw-dropping revelation that Carl Edwards was leaving his lucrative NASCAR driving position at Joe Gibbs Racing, he let everyone in on the reasons behind his decision.

Three reasons to be exact.

At a news conference held Wednesday morning at the Gibbs Racing shop in North Carolina, the 37-year-old driver explained that he was satisfied with his accomplishments in racing (28 Cup Series wins), intends to pursue other interests, and wants to stay healthy and not suffer any long-term medical issues.

Edwards made it clear he was not officially retiring from the sport, but has no plans to race in the near future. Edwards said he's not involved with any major deals, such as helping a new manufacturer get into the sport.

“There’s not a life raft I’m jumping on to,” said Edwards, known for back flipping off his car after a victory. “I’m just jumping.”

Shortly after Edwards announced his decision to leave the sport, Gibbs revealed that defending NASCAR Xfinity champion Daniel Suarez will fill the vacancy.

Edwards made his first NASCAR Cup Series start in 2004 with Roush Fenway Racing. He stayed with car owner Jack Roush through the 2014 season before jumping ship to race for Gibbs and Toyota in 2015. He won five Cup races for "the coach."

Edwards appeared happy and relaxed during the press conference. He only showed emotion once, when a reporter asked about his private life, values and legacy as a person.

“I just want to be a good person,” he said, pausing momentarily to compose himself. “It’s important to me to do the right thing and I do not always do the right thing and just like anyone, there are things I wish I could do over and that’s that.”

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France issued a statement once Edwards made it official he was leaving the sport immediately.

“Carl Edwards has made an indelible mark on NASCAR,” France said. “His hard-charging driving style has led to memorable moments that will live forever in the history of our sport.

"Carl’s passion and personality will greatly be missed — as will the signature backflips. We wish Carl nothing but the best as he enters this next phase in life.”

No one knows what that is at this point. Edwards said he has an interest in politics, but has no plans to run for office. He fancies a job in broadcasting, but has not talked to any of NASCAR’s television partners.

Edwards said this departure came after he reflected on where he was at this point in his life and he decided it was time to try something else.

"I've been racing for 20 years," he said. "I don't have it all figured out yet. Those three reasons are what I'm following. This is not a decision I made because I have something else lined up."

Edwards suffered two gut-punching losses in his pursuit of the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Tony Stewart and Edwards tied in championship points in 2011 and Stewart won his third title on a tiebreaker — number of race wins that year.

In November, he was leading the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway when he crashed out battling Joey Logano for the lead with just 10 laps remaining.

He said those situations did not factor into his decision.

Of the three reasons given, Edwards leaned heavily on keeping his health. When fellow driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed half of the 2016 racing season battling concussion symptoms, it got Edwards' attention.

“I can stand here healthy and that’s a testament to NASCAR,” he said. “It is a risky sport. I’m aware of the risks. I don’t like the way it feels with the hits we take. I’m a sharp guy. I want to be a sharp guy in 30 years. Those risks, I want to minimize.”

Later during the question and answer session with the media, Edwards took discussion of his future well being a step further and used the opportunity to quash any rumors about his health.

“I’m 100 percent healthy, but this is a risky sport,” he said. “You put on a helmet and a fire suit to go race. Like anybody in a contact sport, I realize there might be long-term consequences to that stuff. That is a piece of the puzzle. That is a factor.”

Edwards won 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and a combined 42 Xfinity and Truck Series races, including the 2004 truck race at Daytona International Speedway. Remarkably, it was his only win at Daytona.

Speedway president Chip Wile is sorry to see Edwards depart.

“I respect his decision,” Wile said Wednesday. “He’s been a great ambassador for our sport for over a decade. He’s done amazing things on and off the track. Certainly, the sport will miss him.”