Bristol, TN - In a race that featured five hours of rain delays and concluded with a confusing caution and the skies opening up again, Carl Edwards won Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Edwards grabbed the lead with 78 laps to go when he opted not to pit while most of the other front runners came in for new tires. He then held off the field following a restart with less than 50 laps remaining.

Edwards had a more than two-second lead over second-place runner and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with just over two laps left when the caution lights around this 0.533-mile, high-banked oval came on due to a track light malfunction.

Moments later, heavy rain fell on the track, forcing NASCAR officials to end the race under caution.

It was Edwards' 22nd career win in the Sprint Cup Series, including his third at Bristol. His previous victories here occurred in the August night race (2007 and '08).

Edwards also became the fourth different driver to win in as many races this season. He joins Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Daytona 500), Kevin Harvick (Phoenix) and Brad Keselowski (Las Vegas) as those drivers who have all but guaranteed themselves a berth in this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Stenhouse, who was the rookie of the year in Sprint Cup last year, finished a career-best second. Aric Almirola's third-place run was his best finish in the series as well.

Tony Stewart was fourth, and Marcos Ambrose, who is Almirola's teammate at Richard Petty Motorsports, crossed the line in fifth. Ford claimed four of the top-five finishing positions.