NASCAR Ford 400: Carl Edwards Set to Capture First Career NASCAR Championship

Carl Edwards has sniffed the Sprint Cup Trophy a few times throughout his career, but, after a fourth-place finish last season, he's in good position on Sunday at the NASCAR Ford 400 to capture the title.

Edwards, who came into the NASCAR Ford 400 three points ahead of Tony Stewart, needs to beat Stewart on Sunday to capture his first career championship and effectively end Jimmie Johnson's streak of five consecutive championships.

Through 85 laps, he's in first place, while Stewart's early troubles in the race have had him fall to ninth place.

It would be a defining moment in Edwards' career, who entered Sunday's race with 19 career Sprint Cup Series wins and 139 Top 10 finishes, and almost won the points title in 2008 when he finished second.

As for Stewart, he already has two Sprint Cup titles to his name, and he made that clear before the race, doing plenty of trash-talking while Edwards silently focused on the race.

Referring to Thursday's press conference at South Beach where both drivers sat side-by-side, Stewart said, via ESPN:

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"I had fun talking to him. He's an easy target. He's fun to pick at. He brings a knife to a gunfight."

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Responded Edwards, "It's just lip service."

It was Edwards who set himself up better in the end, grabbing the pole position for the season-defining race.

And it is Edwards who is leading all drivers through 85 laps, while Stewart finds himself trying to play catchup.

In the end, it won't be the driver who talks the most; it will be the driver who does his talking the best on the track.

So far, Edwards is in prime position to silence Stewart.