LDN - Sports

Edwards takes rain-shortened AAA Texas 500

[November 07, 2016] FORT WORTH, Texas -- Carl Edwards won the rain-delayed and rain-shortened AAA Texas 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, his third victory of the season but his first in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Edwards joins Jimmie Johnson as drivers guaranteed spots in the round of four for the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20.

"We have a shot at the championship, and that's all we wanted this year, and I can't wait to go to Homestead. It's going to be a blast."

Joey Logano finished second after dominating the first half of the race. Martin Truex Jr. came in third, Chase Elliott was fourth, and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

"We had a good AAA Fusion that was capable of winning the race," Logano said. "We just lost our track position on a green-flag cycle and got our balance off a little bit. We got it fixed and got it going and had a good restart at the end to get back to second, but it seemed like we needed maybe five or 10 more laps to try to catch the 19 (Edwards) there. We were making up about three-tenths a lap when the caution came out. It is what it is. We are disappointed with second, which is a good thing. I think we are in (the Chase top-four) right now, but it sure would have been nice to be locked in. It sure would make it easier next week."

The drivers completed 293 of a scheduled 334 laps.

Edwards took the race lead on pit road during caution, getting out of the pits ahead of Truex to restart the race as the leader on lap 261 and ran up front until the yellow flag waved for rain on lap 289, giving way to the red flag and, ultimately, the checkered flag a few laps later.

"I've got an amazing group of guys," Edwards said. "They work so well together. They've got my back all of the time. Dave (Rogers, crew chief), man, he's like a brother, just a great guy. And, all of my guys, I can't thank them enough."

Truex took the lead from Logano during a cycle of green-flag pit stops just past the halfway point of the race and showed signs of a dominant performance similar to one he displayed in May in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when he led most of that race en route to his first win of the season. He ran up front until Edwards was able to beat him off pit road.

The race started approximately five hours after the originally scheduled time, delayed by rain and difficulty in drying the track.

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Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards (19) places his name on the NASCAR Chase grid after being declared the winner of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Austin Dillon started on the pole, with Logano alongside on the front row.

"We want to prove that we can win a race by the end of this year," Dillon said. "This (pole) is big for us."

The Texas race is the second in the three-race round of eight in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Johnson clinched advancement by winning at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 30.

"Obviously, we want to win more races," Johnson said. "If we can have success at Texas, that will only put us in Miami with more confidence and more speed in our car. The work is far from other."

NOTES: Kyle Busch started the AAA Texas 500 in a backup car as a result of a wreck in practice on Friday. ... Chase Elliott was dealing with flu-like symptoms prior to Sunday's race. He had Justin Allgaier on standby in case he was unable to finish the race. ... Matt DiBenedetto was sidelined Sunday as a result of a possible concussion sustained Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Jeffrey Earnhardt substituted behind the wheel of the No. 83 BK Racing Toyota, and he came in 34th. ... Kyle Busch was the most recent winner at Texas Motor Speedway, taking the April race. Johnson has a series-leading six wins at TMS, including five wins in the last eight races. ... Kyle Larson won Saturday's Xfinity race at Texas after Brad Keselowski dominated,

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