Originally published Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Auto racing | Carl Edwards gets closer to Clint Bowyer

Carl Edwards improved his bid to win a championship this season, rolling to a dominating victory Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway...

By The Associated Press

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AVONDALE, Ariz. — Carl Edwards improved his bid to win a championship this season, rolling to a dominating victory Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway to stay in the battle for the NASCAR Nationwide Series title.

Edwards, the defending series champion, led a race-high 78 laps and withstood a final challenge from Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin on a late restart to win his sixth race of the season. The victory chipped into Clint Bowyer's lead. Bowyer started the race ahead by 91 points, but was in an early accident and finished fourth.

Bowyer enters next weekend's season finale in Florida with a 56-point lead over Edwards.

"If we run like we've been running ... we can close 56 points without Clint having trouble," Edwards said.

But Bowyer can win the championship if he finishes eighth or better in the finale.

"Man, I can't handle this stuff anymore," Bowyer said after the Hefty Odor Block 200. "We're still in it. We dodged a bullet, though. If you have a day like that and come back and finish fourth, that's what wins championships."

Larry Gunselman of Snohomish finished 36th.

Note

• Jimmie Johnson, seeking his third Sprint Cup Series title in a row, has the pole for today's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at PIR.

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