The former Joe Gibbs Racing driver shocked the NASCAR community when he announced earlier this month he was stepping away from full-time competition.

Although he’s hinted around about a political career, that day may be closer than we expected.

KBIA, the National Public Radio station in Edwards hometown of Columbia, Mo., published a column by Terry Smith with a throw-away line at the bottom: “One more unrelated thing, and remember where you heard this first. Carl Edwards, the recently-retired NASCAR driver and hometown hero, will run against Claire McCaskill for the Senate seat in 2018.”

McCaskill, 63, is the senior U.S. Senator from Missouri. She is serving her second term and became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from the Show Me State.

Edwards, 37, finished fourth in the NASCAR Cup standings last season after qualifying the Championship 4 round for the first time since the format was introduced in 2014. Edwards scored 28 wins, 124 top fives and 220 top 10 finishes in 13 seasons on NASCAR’s top tour. After 11 seasons with Roush Fenway Racing, Edwards moved to Joe Gibbs Racing. He announced he was leaving the sport from at JGR on Jan. 11 after finishing fourth in the standings.

Perhaps politics is in the genes. Edwards does have presidential bloodlines. He told NASCAR.com last June he was the great, great, great grandson of Rutherford B. Hayes, the nation’s 19th president.

Edwards told Motorsport.com com via text that he has no plans as of now but, “I believe firmly in the principles that the U.S. was founded upon. If I could help, I definitely would consider it."