Edwards qualifies 1st at Homestead, Stewart 15th

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Carl Edwards has won the pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he’ll try Sunday to win his first Sprint Cup championship.

Edwards turned a lap at 175.467 mph in Saturday’s qualifying session. Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart qualified 15th.

The two go into the season finale separated by three points in their race to the championship.

Edwards is a two-time winner at Homestead, and is the defending race winner. In seven career starts at Homestead, Edwards has six top-10 finishes and a 5.7 average finish.

It’s made him relaxed and able to fend off the many verbal jabs from Stewart, who has tried to get inside Edwards’ head over the past two months.

Stewart is trying to become the first owner/driver since Alan Kulwicki in 1992 to win the championship.