Sprint Cup results at Texas: Carl Edwards wins, locks into Chase finale

Carl Edwards has a shot at the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. 

On Sunday, Edwards became the first of the four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers in this Round of 8 to advance in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He did so after a stellar pit stop gave him the lead, which he held until rain ended the race because of rain before its scheduled 344 laps were run. 

MORE: Edwards wins | Phoenix schedule | Unusual but not unique ending

Edwards entered Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway needing a victory to advance to the Chase championship race. He got it, thanks to an 11-second pit stop that put him in the lead. Edwards held a lead for the final 36 laps, finishing a long day that started with a six-hour delay and ended with a wet track after 293 laps.

That fast pit stop proved to be the biggest turn of events of the night. There were no green-flag lead changes Sunday, in a race that saw Joey Logano dominate early. After Logano lost the lead on a pit stop, it was Martin Truex Jr. who appeared to be running away.

But a final yellow caused by a crash allowed Edwards to pull into first place. Running in clean air, the sweet stuff that made leaders uncatchable all night, Edwards stayed out from until a sprinkle forced the race's end.

Edwards joins Jimmie Johnson, winner last week at Martinsville, in securing a final-four position in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship race on Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami.

Two more spots will be determined in Nov. 13's race at Phoenix. One could go to the race winner, and Kevin Harvick will enter as favorite for his dominance at the one-mile loop.

Here are the full results, with the Chase drivers in bold:

Contributing: Ray Slover