( CNN ) -- Carl Edwards , one of NASCAR 's elite , makes a living traveling at speeds upwards of 200 mph and is on the road more than 200 days a year . So when he wants to slow down , he heads to his hometown of Columbia , Missouri . NASCAR driver Carl Edwards grew up in Columbia , Missouri . He grew up in Columbia and could n't wait to get out of town , but after living in North Carolina for three years , he was ready to come back . `` I realized after being away , there just are n't many places cooler than this , '' Edwards said . `` So I moved back , and now I live here and I 'm really proud to live here . '' He competes in both the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series for NASCAR . He won a Busch Series Cup in 2007 , finished last year 's Sprint Cup Series in second , and is fiercely fighting for Sprint Cup honors this year . Edwards has recovered from a frightening crash-ending to his last race in Talladega , Alabama , and is looking forward to racing in Richmond , Virginia , this week , hoping for his first trip of the season to victory lane . His fans are eagerly awaiting that trademark victory back flip . But through all of the excitement and acclaim , Edwards remains grounded and true to his Missouri roots . He took CNN home with him to Columbia -- which is between Kansas City and St. Louis -- to share some of his favorite spots . The day started at Rock Bridge State Park , 2,273 acres of natural beauty and serenity that is hard to believe is only 10 minutes from the bustling center of this college town . `` This park is one of Columbia 's best secrets . It 's a beautiful place to come mountain biking , hiking . There 's a cave that runs under this ground that goes for over 50 miles . '' The park boasts 15 miles of trails and endless possibilities for adventure , from hiking and biking to canoeing and even cave exploration . When Edwards gets the need for speed at home , he opts for two wheels instead of four . He grabs his bicycle and heads to the Katy Trail , just up the road from Rock Bridge Park . `` This used to be an old railroad , and now it 's a state park . It 's 10 feet wide , it 's over 200 miles long , and all of this is open to the public . '' Edwards also showed us one of his favorite trail features : a beautiful giant bur oak tree simply referred to by Missouri natives as `` the big bur oak . '' Edwards says it 's one of the oldest in the state and thinks that it is one of the coolest spots along the trail . All that exercise and fresh air can certainly rev up an appetite , and Edwards has two favorite places to cure that . For what he calls the best burger in the world , he heads to Booches Billiard Hall , one of his high school hangouts . `` We used to come here in high school when we probably should have been in school . We 'd shoot pool , eat booch burgers and just have a good time , '' he said . We were greeted by one of the owners , Charlie Kurry , who poked a little fun at Edwards ' trademark backflip celebration . `` The only thing flipping in here is the burgers , '' Kurry said . Booches has been in operation in Columbia since 1884 . Next up is Shakespeare 's Pizza , which has been serving slices in Columbia for more than 35 years . `` They can make you anything you want . They 've got whole wheat crust if you 're into the health stuff like I am . And it 's so good , they even catered my wedding . '' These are just some of the hidden gems of Carl Edwards ' Columbia , but this town has much more to offer . There are museums , festivals and parades , and the University of Missouri has provided a lot of athletic excitement with its football and basketball teams over the past few years . It 's a perfect weekend getaway from its larger surrounding cities . And if you live farther away than that , it 's worth the trip !
Booches Billiard Hall driver Edwards shares his favorite spots in Missouri , Columbia . He 's a fan of Rock Bridge State Park , only 10 minutes from the center of town . Carl Edwards also frequents Booches Billiard Hall for the `` best burger in the world ''