AVONDALE, Ariz.—Just when Carl Edwards seemed to have Jimmie Johnson on the ropes, the two-time defending NASCAR champion delivered the knockout punch.

Johnson moved inches away from his record-tying third consecutive Cup championship with a dominating victory Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, where he led a race-high 217 of the 313 laps to deflate Edwards’ title hopes.

Johnson heads into next week’s season finale up 141 points over Edwards and needs only to finish 36th or better to join Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only drivers in NASCAR history to win three...

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