MADISON, Ill. (AP) _ Nextel Cup star Carl Edwards overtook Denny Hamlin with nine laps left and held on to win the Busch Silver Celebration 250 on Saturday night.
After heavy rain delayed the start by 1 hour, 40 minutes, the race had few incidents during its 200 laps. Only two yellow flags came out for a total of 11 laps, one of several records tied or broken at Gateway International Speedway.
``This means so much to win right here in front of all these people I know,'' said Edwards, from Columbia, Mo., about a two-hour drive from Gateway. ``I've never been that excited to win a race.''
Maybe more importantly to NASCAR officials, the circuit's first test run with unleaded gas went off without any noticeable changes in speed from a year ago. Edwards averaged 119.152 in his Ford, nearly 3 mph faster than the previous record set by Kevin Harvick during his 2000 victory. Only 11 laps were run under caution during the 2000 race as well. No cars reported any engine failures and both Edwards and Hamlin said they noticed no difference between it and the regular fuel normally used.
Edwards has won two of the past three Busch Series events and has three victories overall this season. He started on the outside of the front row and looked as if he might have lost his chance for victory when he pitted for two tires with 16 laps remaining. But that decision turned out to be the key.
Clint Bowyer finished second, followed by Hamlin, Reed Sorenson, series leader Harvick, Scott Wimmer, David Green, Kyle Busch, St. Louis driver Kenny Wallace and Kevin Grubb.
Hamlin dominated the race after starting the night on the pole position. He led the first 111 laps and 169 overall. He held the lead when he entered and exited pits on the 186th lap. However, the decision to only take a splash of gas and not change any tires during that stop, cost him the victory. He lasted just five more laps in first before Edwards passed him on the outside and went on for the victory.
``We had the best car probably 90 per cent of the day,'' Hamlin said. ``(But) once we got in that box where guys started to pit before we did, it was a no-win situation. We should have came down earlier and gotten tires. But third place is still good for us.''
Edwards and Hamlin raced side-by-side for much of the final 90 laps of the race. Twice they bumped into each other as they traded the lead several times.
``That battle was about as fun as it gets,'' Edwards said. ``Denny is a class act and an unbelievable driver. It was pretty wild. I kind of knocked him out of the way a little bit and got by him and he got me a little bit in (turn) 3. It was just going to be one of those good battles until the end.''
Edwards finished the race in a record 2:05.54, breaking Harvick's 2000 mark of 2:08.39, and he was one of just three racers to lead during the race along with Hamlin and Scott Wimer, two fewer than the previous record set in 1999. The eight lead changes also tied a record for fewest changes set in 2004.
Edwards is second in the season standings, 318 points behind Harvick.
The track emptied quickly during the race with six cars pulling out of the race by the 80th lap. Before midway through the event, fewer than half of the entries remained on the lead lap, allowing the leaders more room to maneuver as the slower drivers moved out of the way while being lapped. Only six cars finished on the lead lap, breaking the previous record of nine during the 2004 race.
