Edwards streaking as Cup Series heads to Phoenix

There is no question that Carl Edwards has hit on something when it comes to racing on intermediate tracks in the Sprint Cup Series.

The 1.5-mile and 2-mile speedways that make up the bulk of the schedule have been Edwards' strength in 2008. His series-high three wins have come on intermediate tracks -- California, Las Vegas and Texas -- and he almost had a fourth at Atlanta, where he led with 50 laps to go when his engine failed.

Fast Facts

What:	Subway Fresh Fit 500
When:	8 p.m. ET Saturday
TV:	FOX
Radio:	MRN/Sirius Ch. 28

• Track Page | Tickets | Travel

The question is whether Edwards will have the same success in Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the flat 1-mile Phoenix International Raceway.

Edwards is winless in seven Phoenix starts but has two top-five finishes and four runs in the top 10. In last fall's race at Phoenix, Edwards started from the pole and led 87 of the first 125 laps before his engine failed and he finished 42nd.

"It's always fun to go to Phoenix," Edwards said. "I love Phoenix; it's the first track I ever ran on pavement. The track itself is pretty unique with a complex shape so it makes for great racing. We've had solid finishes at Phoenix in the past, so I know we have the ability to run well there."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick have run very well at Phoenix. With two wins each, they are tied with Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Burton for most wins among active drivers. But unlike Edwards, Earnhardt and Harvick haven't been to Victory Lane in a long time. Harvick's last win was in the 2007 Daytona 500, and Earnhardt's drought stretches back to May 2006 at Richmond.

Earnhardt's wins at Phoenix came in 2003 and 2004. He has only two top-10s in the six races since, and he finished 43rd last fall after crashing.

After winning the Budweiser Shootout and his Gatorade Duel at Daytona, Earnhardt has been on the verge of ending his 69-race winless streak. He has three top-five and five top-10 finishes in seven races in 2008 and is fourth in the standings.

Harvick is second in the standings and, his winless streak aside, says his team's performance is much stronger than at this point last season. And that's most important to him.

"The only thing we did right at the beginning of last year was win the Daytona 500," Harvick said. "This year we've been fortunate to run consistently week in and week out, and that's what you have to do to win the championship. If we can keep running consistent and put ourselves in position to win every week, we will have a chance at the championship at the end of the season."

Harvick's approach to racing at Phoenix should do exactly that -- put him in position to win. He started his career on short tracks in California, and although Phoenix is twice the size of his local half-mile, he can use the same techniques that have proved successful in the past.

"Even though places like Phoenix and New Hampshire are only a mile, they both have a lot of room to race," Harvick said. "Phoenix is always a fun racetrack. There are always at least two lanes, and sometimes even more, to pass. I always seem to do well at Phoenix, so I'm excited to see what we can do."

By the Numbers
Burton has won twice at Phoenix, and in fact he did it in consecutive races. His teammate Harvick has done that, too. But what Harvick can't do is catch Burton in several categories, including the points lead. At least, not yet. | Read More