Power Rankings: Edwards gives Busch something to think about

Updated Aug. 18

Though there are still three races until the Chase for the Championship officially begins, with Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards dominating the win column, the battle began long ago.

Carl Edwards finally topped Kyle Busch in a head-to-head battle. (Getty Images)

The stage was set early when Edwards captured the second and third races of the season. But his second victory drew a penalty from NASCAR for a loose oil reservoir cover, and he received no Chase bonus points.

The next week, Busch broke through with his first victory. In the 19 races since, the two have combined for 10 more, seven for Busch and three for Edwards.

But the roles could easily have been reversed. Edwards finished second four times in that stretch. The winner in three of the four? None other than Busch.

Sunday at Michigan, Edwards finally got the best of his championship rival in a head-to-head duel.

"Yes, it is great for confidence level for our whole program," crew chief Bob Osborne said. "We've gone head-to-head there against the 18 a few times early in the season and came up short. So, it was good to go again head-to-head to the 18 and finish first for the first time in a while."

Over at the 18 camp, the loss didn't come as a shock to Busch as much as motivation for his team to improve at the intermediate tracks heading into the Chase.

"He's been the guy that we've got to race on these mile-and-a-half, two-mile race tracks," Busch said. "He's been decent at other race tracks, too, but not as stout as he is at these, and there's a lot of these in the Chase. We've still got some work cut out for us."

Edwards said he has always been confident in his own ability, but the key to ultimate success is his pit crew.

"We're getting to the point that we can win at any race track we go to," Edwards said. "And our pit crew has stepped up their game. That was our weakness for a long time, and the guys have week after week worked harder and become better."

Though Busch and Edwards have asserted themselves as the clear frontrunners heading into the Chase, Edwards isn't fooling himself into thinking that it will be solely a two-man race.

"Somebody said, 'Oh, it's coming down to you and Kyle,'" Edwards said. "I said, 'I hope it's just me and Kyle.' It would be nice to just have to beat one other guy. I have a feeling that this Chase is going to be spectacularly competitive."

Power Rankings after Michigan: