Kyle Busch beats Edwards in Nationwide Series race

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Kyle Busch beat Carl Edwards out of the pits on their final stop, then held off the defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion in overtime for his second consecutive victory Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway.

A series of late-race caution flags on the mile oval hampered Edwards, who appeared to have a faster car at the end and remained winless in 2008 in the series formerly known as Busch.

Busch, who got his first Nationwide victory of the season last week in Texas, dominated, leading 133 of the 202 laps. But Edwards wrested the lead from Busch on Lap 159 and steadily pulled away, building a lead of more than three seconds before debris brought out the sixth of nine cautions on Lap 178.

The leaders pitted a lap later and Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota barely beat Edwards’ Roush Fenway Racing Ford onto the track and held the lead, although Edwards did nose ahead momentarily on Lap 197 before the final caution came out on Lap 199 when Jeff Burton hit the wall.