BUSCH

• Last to first: Edwards wins at Richmond

  
  

  Richmond, VA (Sports Network) - Carl Edwards opted for a light burnout on the track instead of the usual celebratory backflip from his car after winning Friday's Virginia 529 College Savings 250 Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

  Edwards, who continues to drive with a broken right foot after a Frisbee accident last week, qualified a disappointing 39th earlier in the day but had to start from the rear of the 43-car field after his team changed the spark plugs prior to the start of the race.

  The Roush Fenway Racing driver beat Kevin Harvick out of the pits and took the lead for the first time during a caution with 24 laps to go. He held off Harvick at the finish by 1.17 seconds for his fourth victory of the season and the 24th of his Nationwide career.

  "I know that was a really weak burnout, but I don't want to tear up this [car]. It's too good," Edwards said.

  It's the third time this season he has won a Nationwide race after starting from the rear of the field.

  With the victory, Edwards trimmed Kyle Busch's lead to 201 points.

  "We're trying to catch Kyle, and we've got to run like this to do it," Edwards added. "[Crew chief] Dan Stillman and all these guys did it for me tonight." Busch finished third.

  "We've got some homework to do, so hopefully we can still win a couple more races before the year is out," Busch said. "I would really like to do that, but a solid points night I guess is all you need." Harvick, winner of last weekend's race at Atlanta, finished second despite nearly wrecking his car with less than 50 laps to go when then leader Denny Hamlin got loose and almost bumped into Harvick.

  "I think Denny got a little loose there, and no harm and no foul," Harvick said. "A little light contact is typical here at Richmond." Hamlin, who started on the pole and led the most laps with 101, suffered a cut left-front tire during the incident. He wound up finishing 17th.

  Brad Keselowski came in fourth, and David Reutimann was fifth.

  Martin Truex, Jr., Trevor Bayne, Justin Allgaier, Steve Wallace and Scott Speed completed the top-10.

  09/11 22:33:03 ET