One need only look at the final round Pro Stock stats at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals to understand just how tough it is to win in this eliminator.

Even though defending series champion Mike Edwards has made the process look easy, he’s said time and time again it's not.

Sunday night under the dark skies of a rain-drenched Joliet, Ill., final round opponent Jason Line provided what he needed to prove the point, Edwards can be beat. Just not on this night.

Edwards had a .007 reaction time and left the starting line second.

One need only look at the final round Pro Stock stats at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals to understand just how tough it is to win in this eliminator.

Even though defending series champion Mike Edwards has made the process look easy, he’s said time and time again it's not.

Sunday night under the dark skies of a rain-drenched Joliet, Ill., final round opponent Jason Line provided what he needed to prove the point, Edwards can be beat. Just not on this night.

Edwards had a .007 reaction time and left the starting line second.

In fact, Line was only .005 slower in the performance department. The .004 elapsed time advantage was all Edwards needed to score his sixth victory of the season by inches.

“That’s what Pro Stock is,” said Edwards. “We were doorhandle to doorhandle the whole way down that race track. What a great way to finish a day like this.”

Edwards had a bracket car all day long running within .004 from his first three rounds. His 6.594 in the final was his best run of the weekend.  In every round except for the semis when Line tied him to the thousandth, Edwards was the quickest car.

The field has made up some ground on Edwards but the numbers clearly show 2010 is much better than 2009 up to this point. He won the 2009 title on the strength of five wins.

“It’s hard to believe,” Edwards admitted. “I just can’t believe what is happening. I’ve been doing this for a long time. To have this kind of success and last year was phenomenal. To have this kind of a start is very humbling. It’s unbelievable. I have to give all the glory to God.

“Roger Stull, my team, Penhall, Interstate, K&N, ART and Contemporary Corvette made that possible.”

VOTE FOR WARREN – The fan vote for the K&N Horsepower Challenge has many of the drivers campaigning for the No. 8 spot. One of the drivers who isn’t campaigning has already earned the defending series champion’s vote.

“I’d vote for Warren Johnson,” admitted Mike Edwards. “I’ve grown up watching him race and he deserves to be in there.”

Of course, it’s not often a drag racer gets to choose their opponent in eliminations but in this case Edwards, the No. 1 seed, will race the fan voted driver.