Carl Edwards led five times for 62 laps in the Alliance Truck Parts 250 Nationwide race on Saturday at Michigan Speedway, but he still had to battle it out at the end with his Roush-Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr before capturing the victory, his 33rd career win in the Nationwide Series.
Stenhouse pased Edwards with 21 laps to go, but the Columbia, Mo., native regained the lead on lap 117 of 125 and held on to the checkered flag. It was Edwards’ fourth Nationwide win this season.
“Ricky drove his heart out, trhat guy is unbelievable,” Edwards said in a postrace interview. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to get him…I thought Ricky was setting sail.”
Despite finishing second, Stenhouse moved into first in the Nationwide points standings, eight points better than Elliott Sadler, who came in eighth Saturday at Michigan. Kyle Busch nipped Paul Menard, who started on the pole in the Aliance Truck Parts 250, for third and Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne was fifth.