Edwards nears his first NHRA title

DINWIDDIE, Va. -- Pro Stock driver Mike Edwards went wire-to-wire at the NHRA Virginia Nationals on Sunday, earning the maximum 150 points to all but clinch his first career NHRA Full Throttle Series world championship.

Del Worsham (Funny Car) and Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel) also won at Virginia Motorsports Park in the fourth of six races in the NHRA playoffs, the Countdown to 1.

Edwards qualified No. 1, earned the maximum 12 per-session qualifying bonus points and the 20-point bonus for setting a national record (6.509 seconds) to become the first driver to record the maximum 150 points at a single race.

Edwards beat Greg Anderson in the final on a slight holeshot, 6.526 at 211.43 to 6.522 at 212.03.

Edwards extended his lead from 78 points to 128, meaning he has more than a six-round cushion (a round win is worth 20 points) with only eight rounds left.