Edwards secures Chase berth with Tennessee win

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) Carl Edwards eased to his second NASCAR victory of the season at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee the win securing his place in the season-ending 10-race Chase series for the Nextel Cup.

Edwards passed Kasey Kahne with 166 laps remaining and went on to win by 1.405 seconds to stay fifth in the overall standings while moving alongside third placed Kurt Busch in the Chase seedings for with two races remaining, yesterday.

The top 12 point-winners advance to the Chase for the championship, which begins on Sept. 16 in New Hampshire.

Kahne led for 305 circuits of the 500-lap race before he was passed by Edwards, who celebrated the victory with his trademark backflip.

''To win here at Bristol is everybody's dream,'' Edwards told reporters.

''Man, this is the biggest win of my career,'' he added.

''I don't know what to think. This is emotional, to win this race. To win this race is cool. We're back.'' Clint Bowyer finished third, Tony Stewart fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. came home in fifth.

With four victories this season, Jeff Gordon leads the overall standings from Stewart.

REUTERS BJR HT1345