Kyle Busch won his first race on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, taking the checkered flag in Phoenix Sunday. Greg Biffle was second, Jeff Gordon third, points-leader Tony Stewart was fourth and Bobby Labonte rounded out the top five.
Columbia native Carl Edwards finished in sixth on Sunday and remained in third place in the points standings. He was the hottest driver coming into Sunday, having won the last two races and he was also the winner of Saturday’s Busch Series race.
Jimmie Johnson, who is second in points, finished seventh on Sunday.
St. Louis native Kenny Wallace finished 16th and his brother, Rusty Wallace, was 29th. Rusty Wallace, who is eighth in points, will retire after next week’s race. Ken Schrader of Fenton, Mo., was 30th on Sunday.