Carl Edwards wins Pep Boys Sprint race

HAMPTON, Ga., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Carl Edwards drove his No. 99 Ford to victory Sunday afternoon in the Sprint Cup's Pep Boys Auto 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

It was Edwards' seventh win this season and the 14th of his Sprint Cup Series career. He beat runner-up Jimmie Johnson by 2.685 seconds.

Johnson, last week's winner at Martinsville, Va., charged from 11th to second in the final eight laps after making a four-tire change during a late pit stop.

Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch completed the top-five finishers.

Despite the second place result, Johnson, the points leader in NASCAR's "Race for the Chase," stretched his lead in the standings to 183 over Edwards with three races left in the 2008 season.

"I am leaving here very happy," Johnson said. "That was almost like a win today."

Greg Biffle (-185 points) is third and Jeff Burton (-218) is fourth.