Edwards wins; Keselowski’s blood boils

Carl Edwards nudged Brad Keselowski on the final lap to win Saturday nights Nationwide Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway.

A late accident involving Justin Allgaier, Tayler Malsam and Joe Nemechek, set things up for a green-white-checkers finish.  

On the final lap, Keselowski nudged Edwards entering turn one.  Edwards fought back on the backstretch and pulled to the outside Keselowski entering turn three. Exiting turn four Keselowski was on the inside and almost clear with the lead heading to the finish line.    Edwards got into the back of Keselowski and turned him first into the outside wall and then he drifted back into the inside wall, bringing out a huge crash on the front stretch.  

“I was really proud how we were racing each other. He was holding me tight and getting me a little loose which was cool. I was rubbing on him a little bit. It was just great racing. I figured out a way to beat him. He wasn’t happy with me, so he wrecked me. Wrecking down the straightaway is never cool whether it’s at 200 mph or 120. I’m sorry that’s the way it had to end.” Keselowski said.   “I think he’s trying to figure out how he can win the points when he hasn’t run very well all year. I don’t think that was cool at all. We had a great Discount Tire Dodge all day long and I think we were the car to beat. It just didn’t happen.” Keselowski later added.  

Edwards did not agree.   “The deal is he’ll eventually learn he can’t run into my car over and over and put me in bad situations. In every situation, there’s an aggressor and there’s someone who reacts. I was not the aggressor in this situation.” Edwards said.   Keselowski said the contact in turn 1 on the final lap was incidental.  

“The way it went, he bumped me and he finished wherever he finished and I still won the race. That’s the only way I could see the race turning out fair.” Edwards said.   Edwards won, Keselowski finished 14th.  

Unofficial Results Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250, Gateway International Raceway July 17, 2010 – Race 19 of 35