Carl Edwards flips out after winning the Arizona 200 at Phoenix. Credit: Autostock

Edwards edges Bowyer, wins fifth Busch race

Truex closes in on second consecutive title with sixth-place run

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Carl Edwards won another race Saturday, this time holding off Busch series runner-up Clint Bowyer to take the Arizona 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Bowyer's second-place run, combined with a sixth-place finish for points leader and reigning Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr., cut the leader's margin to 64 points with only next Saturday's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining.

Arizona 200 Official Results Pos. Driver Start 1. C. Edwards 1 2. C. Bowyer 32 3. M. Kenseth 22 4. K. Harvick 10 5. G. Biffle 7 6. M. Truex Jr. 4 7. J. Leffler 18 8. R. Sorenson 5 9. D. Hamlin 2 10. J.J. Yeley 21 • Complete Results, click here Official standings Pos. Driver Pts. Behind 1. M. Truex Jr. 4,791 -- 2. C. Bowyer 4,727 -64 • Complete Standings, click here Victory LaneCarl Edwards celebrates his fifth Busch Series win of 2005 Final lapsA great battle amongst the leaders over the last 20 laps Top finishersBowyer, Truex Jr., Kenseth on their day at Phoenix Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

But all Truex needs to do to assure himself of becoming the first repeat winner in the series since Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- the co-owner of his car -- in 1998-99, is finish 12th or better, even if Bowyer wins and leads the most laps.

Truex didn't act like a driver on the brink of another championship, though. The disappointed driver said, "We can't seem to do anything right. We adjusted the car on every pit stop and it never got better. It was just a rough day.''

Looking ahead to Homestead, he added, "We still need to go there and have a decent run. I've always done pretty well there and I'd like nothing better than to go there and win and put this thing away.''

Bowyer started 32nd in the 43-car field and had to battle his way to the front for the second consecutive race.

He nearly got past Edwards about 18 laps from the end of the 200-lap event on the one-mile Phoenix oval, but Edwards, driving a high line on the slick track, somehow held on and eventually pulled away as Kenseth battled Bowyer for second place.

"You just go out and try to win the race,'' Bowyer said of the finale. "We'll just try not to qualify 30th anymore. I'm over that.''

It was the fifth Busch win of the season for Edwards, who also has won four times in his first full season in Nextel Cup and goes into Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 with two consecutive Cup victories and third in the points, behind Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.

The 26-year-old Missourian dominated Saturday's race, leading twice for 103 laps, including the final 20.

"That was a real race, a lot of fun,'' said Edwards, who expected Bowyer to try to bump him aside late in the race. "I was expecting him to nerf me aside or put me in the wall, but he didn't and it's a good thing for me.

"We learned a lot about how the track changes [Saturday], and some other things that should help us [Sunday]. I just know, after winning [Saturday], I'm going to sleep well [Saturday night].''

Kenseth wound up third, followed by fellow Cup stars Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle. Edwards, Kenseth and Biffle are all teammates on Roush Racing.