Edwards continues hot streak at Phoenix

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 at Avondale, Ariz.

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 Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining.

It was the fifth Busch win of the season for Edwards, a 26-year-old from Missouri, who also has won four times in his first full season in Nextel Cup and goes into today’s Checker Auto Parts 500 with two straight Cup victories and third in the points, behind Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.

“That was a real race, a lot of fun,” Edwards said. “… We learned a lot about how the track changes today, and some other things that should help us tomorrow. I just know, after winning today, I’m going to sleep well tonight.”

Hamlin grabs pole

Denny Hamlin quickly is going from virtual unknown to potential NASCAR Nextel Cup star.

The driver, who turns 25 on Friday, grabbed his first Cup pole in only his sixth try, topping the field at Phoenix International Raceway with a lap of 134.173 mph and beating a trio of contenders in the Chase for the championship.

Bunched behind Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet were series runner-up Jimmie Johnson, third-place Carl Edwards and fourth-place Greg Biffle.

Series leader Tony Stewart, Hamlin’s veteran teammate, who leads Johnson by 38 points, Edwards by 77 and Biffle by 122, qualified ninth for today’s Checker Auto Parts 500.

Busch cited by police

Kurt Busch was detained on suspicion of drunken driving and cited for reckless driving after a confrontation with police near Phoenix International Raceway.

Busch was stopped Friday night after trying to avoid another car and running a stop sign about two miles from Phoenix International Raceway, Lt. Paul Chagolla said.

Busch was spotted driving about 60 mph in a 45 mph zone.