FORT WORTH, Texas -- Carl Edwards just wouldn't be denied in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The 26-year-old wunderkind charged back from a late pit stop that dropped him to sixth place to pass Roush Racing teammate Mark Martin for the lead two laps from the end of the Dickies 500. It was his second consecutive victory and thrust the surprising Edwards into the battle for the series championship with two races remaining.

Tony Stewart had a solid if unspectacular day. The 2002 champion finished sixth and saw his lead in the Chase for the championship drop from 43 points to just 38 over Jimmie Johnson, who managed to pass Stewart two laps from the end and finish fifth.

Edwards, who now has four victories in his first full season in Cup racing, jumped from a tie for fourth, 107 points behind, to solo possession of third, 77 behind Stewart. More