Carl Edwards pulls away late in Phoenix; Danica Patrick 39th

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Carl Edwards pulled away on a late restart and snapped a 70-race winless streak yesterday, the second long drought he has ended at Phoenix International Raceway.

Edwards had a rough 2012 season, missing the Chase for the championship. His downward spiral continued at Daytona last week, where he wrecked five cars. On his way out of Florida, Edwards said he was ready to dominate and win at Phoenix. He did just that, leading the final 78 laps of the 312-lap race around PIR's odd-shaped oval in the first non-restrictor-plate race with NASCAR's new Gen-6 car.

Edwards got a good push from defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski on the restart with two laps left and pulled away from there, winning for the first time since Las Vegas in 2011.

The big duel came behind Edwards. Despite struggling with his car most of the day, Denny Hamlin made a bold move on the last lap with a pass on the apron below the dogleg. He popped up alongside Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson and the two drag-raced to the finish, where Johnson edged him by a few inches.

Danica Patrick ended her day 39th with about 100 laps left when the right-front tire on her No. 10 Chevrolet went down and slammed her into the wall. She was not injured.

Mark Martin, 54, failed in his bid to become the oldest Sprint Cup winner. He started on the pole and led the first 49 laps and 26 more later on, but couldn't sustain it and finished 21st.-- AP