CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carl Edwards has seven wins this season and unbridled optimism about his potential.

What he doesn't have — and probably won't get this year — is a Sprint Cup championship.

But credit Edwards for refusing to wave the white flag on his title run. After all, he gained 15 points on Jimmie Johnson with his win Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Problem is, he's still a whopping 183 points out with just three races left to dethrone Johnson.

It's preposterous to think Johnson — who only needs to finish ninth or better in the final three events to win his third consecutive title — is suddenly going to slip and give Edwards any chance to steal the trophy. Edwards, however, won't concede and is taking a commendable positive attitude into the final stretch.

"Listen, guys, anything can happen," Edwards said. "If there's one thing this season has shown me ... it's that every time you think you've figured out who is going to be the guy to beat, I think it can get turned on its head quickly. As long as we're within 130 points going to Homestead, we're still going there to win the championship and it can happen."

Even if that doesn't work out, Edwards has had a terrific season, overcoming an early 100-point penalty and six-week suspension to start the Chase as one of the favorites. But you've got to be perfect these days to beat Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports crew, and Edwards hasn't been.

He triggered a 14-car accident at Talladega Superspeedway that led to a 29th-place finish and backlash from several competitors. Mechanical problems a week later in Charlotte contributed to a 33rd-place finish.

Those two blemishes may well be what Edwards looks back at a month from now, wondering what he could have done differently. That's because, in the five other Chase races, Edwards finished no lower than third.