Edwards races to third win of the season

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Carl Edwards ran away with Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway for his series-best third win of the season, holding off Jimmie Johnson on a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish.

Edwards had the field covered for most of the race, at one point building a lead of more than seven seconds over Johnson. But two late cautions - one for debris with 39 laps to go, and another for oil on the track with five to go, gave Johnson a shot to steal the win.

But Edwards didn't give him a chance on either restart, handily pulling away both times to deny the two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion his first win of the season.

It was Edwards' first victory since his team was accused of cheating following his win last month in Las Vegas. The cover was missing from his oil tank after the victory, and NASCAR hammered the team with penalties.

Edwards was stripped of 100 points - knocking him out of the points lead - and the 10 bonus points he earned from that victory. Crew chief Bob Osborne was suspended for six races and fined $100,000.

On the day the penalties were announced, Edwards vowed to continue his march toward his first Cup championship. He delivered with his dominating run Sunday, then dedicated the victory to Osborne as he crossed the finish line.

"This is for Bob Osborne sitting at home," he radioed his crew. "Good job guys."

From Victory Lane, he defended his Vegas win and once again insisted the oil tank infraction played no part in his performance that day. And by winning in Texas - his second career win at the track - he proved his team is capable of overcoming adversity.

"The reason we won at Vegas is because of all the hard work that the guys at the shop and the engine department, it's not because of that oil tank lid," he said. "That's what it's about. We're driving. It's fun. It's fun when you get out of the car and your hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel. That's good."

Johnson was second as Hendrick Motorsports remained winless through the first seven races of the season.

"I didn't have anything at the end for Carl," Johnson said.

Kyle Busch, winner of the Nationwide Series race Saturday, was strong early but had nothing for Edwards in the end and faded to third. Ryan Newman was fourth and Denny Hamlin overcame last-lap contact with Clint Bowyer to finish fifth. Bowyer faded to 10th when the contact sent him into the wall.

Jeff Burton retained his hold atop the points standings by finishing sixth and was followed by Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth and Bowyer as only 10 cars finished on the lead lap.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hoped to mark the 10th anniversary of his first NASCAR win with a return to Victory Lane, but the pole-sitter never challenged and finished 12th, a lap down. He scored his first victory here in 1998 in what was then called the Busch Series, and he scored his first Cup victory here in 2000.

But NASCAR's most popular driver is still trying to end a 69-race winless streak. His last victory was at Richmond in May 2006.

Michael McDowell, the rookie involved in a spectacular crash during Friday's qualifying session, had an uneventful race running at the back of the field. He finished 33rd, seven laps down, in his second career start.

Edwards came into the race as the heavy favorite, and not just because of his sizzling runs during qualifying - he was nudged off the pole by Earnhardt's late run - or Saturday's final practice sessions. Rather, his No. 99 team has proven to be the team to beat at intermediate tracks this season after Edwards scored wins at California and Las Vegas, then dominated at Atlanta before his motor blew while leading.

"He's certainly the guy to beat on these mile-and-a-halfs," Johnson said. "He spent a lot of time developing the Car of Tomorrow for Roush. That seat time is valuable."

But Johnson, who struggled through five of the first six races this season, said he believes Hendrick is catching up.

"Just in general, his car was a little more efficient through the corner than mine, but we've closed it up a lot," Johnson said. "Another couple of weeks, we'll really be a factor on these mile-and-a-halfs."

Teammate Jeff Gordon may not be so convinced after a brutally long day in which his car struggled early, fell a lap down and later brushed the wall. He finished last in the 43-car field for just the second time in his career.

"I cant remember the last time we struggled this bad," Gordon said. "I wish I had an answer for you. I just lost control of the car. We've been way off and we've got to find it because we can't go through the whole year like this."