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Kyle Busch continued his wining ways as he held off Carl Edwards to win the Nationwide Series Bashas 200 at the Phoenix International Raceway.

Busch, who has led more laps this season than any other driver in the series dominated at the one mile facility taking the Pole, and leading the event for 133 of 202 circuits.

In what appeared to have the potential for a runaway victory for Busch faded as 2007 series champion Carl Edwards mounted a late race charge to challenge Busch for the win.

Edwards, driving a Roush/Fenway Ford was able to pass Busch on lap 159 and hold the lead for the twenty laps and running away to a three second lead. That lead dissipated as several late race cautions changed the tempo of the race.

The field was slowed for a debris caution with twenty two circuits remaining. Under yellow both Edwards and Busch opted to hit pit road for four tire stops, with Busch’s over the wall crew getting there driver out first to regain the lead.

Busch held the position on the following restart with Edwards keeping pace to provide some of the closet competition seen thus far this season. But in the end, Busch held the point as the race cycled through two more caution periods in the remaining sixteen laps to set up a green-white-checker finish with Busch beating Edwards to the line by a margin .241 seconds.

Busch celebrated in victory lane with his crew giving them the credit for the victory.

“Those boys won the race for us on pit road,” noted Busch.

Edwards was excited by the close competition. “If the fans don’t like that one, I don’t know what you came for”. Said Edwards. “That was a pretty good race right there. I needed a couple of more laps; I didn’t need that last caution”

When asked if the former champion was beyond bumping Busch out of the way, Edwards was notably candid.

“If I was close enough to bump him, I probably would’ve. I tried my hardest and I couldn’t get close enough.”

The victory marked the second consecutive win for the Nevada native backing up last weeks triumph in Texas.

It marked the thirteenth trip to victory lane in the series for the driver since he debuted in 2003.

The top two were followed in by Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and David Ragan. Mike Bliss in his second ride for Phoenix Racing was sixth and the highest finishing Nationwide Series regular.

Dario Franchitti, who finished eleventh, was the highest finishing rookie.

The event set a new track record for lead changes. Fourteen among five drivers, outpacing the old mark of eleven.

Leaving Arizona, Clint Bowyer remains the point’s leader twenty-four markers over Carl Edwards.

The series is off next week before heading to Mexico City for an international road course event on April 20th.