Backstretch Motorsports

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (June 21, 2008) — All it took to end Carl Edwards’ year-long NASCAR Nationwide Series winless streak was to change crew chiefs.

The defending series champion had gone 36 races without a victory, and team owner Jack Roush decided that was enough. So Roush Fenway Racing swapped crew chiefs earlier this week, with Drew Blickensderfer taking over for Pierre Kuettel on Edwards’ No. 60 team.

Edwards responded by winning Saturday’s Camping World RV Rental 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.

Edwards’ last victory was at Nashville in June 2007, and though he won the series title last year, Edwards didn’t win the second half of the season.

“It just feels good to win a race … for our team, for everybody at the shop and all the guys who have been working hard and sticking with this program even though we haven’t won a race in a long time,” Edwards said. “It means a lot to have all that support. This win is a huge relief.”

Edwards bumped past Clint Bowyer to take the lead with 38 laps to go and held off rookie Joey Logano to score his 14th career win in the series.

Logano finished second in Joe Gibbs Racing’s Toyota, with Bowyer hanging on for third in Richard Childress Racing’s Chevrolet. David Ragan (Roush Fenway) was fourth, with David Reutimann (Michael Waltrip Racing) fifth.

Scott Wimmer, Mike Bliss, Brad Keselowski, Jason Keller and Jason Leffler rounded out the top 10.

Keselowski won the pole and had the dominant car for more than half the race. But after leading 145 of the first 171 laps, Keselowski was challenged in Turn 3 by Logano.

Logano slipped in the corner and bounced into Keselowski, sending the No. 88 Chevrolet up the track. Logano took the lead and soon pulled away.

Logano was bidding to become the fourth series driver to win two races in his first four starts — joining Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip and Ron Fellows — but he was beaten off pit road on Lap 206 by three other cars.

Steve Wallace took the lead by changing only two tires, with Edwards and Bowyer following him off pit road.

Edwards quickly dispatched Wallace, but Bowyer ducked inside Edwards for the lead on Lap 212.

After the race’s eighth caution on Lap 221, Edwards tried to slip inside Bowyer, and the two made contact on Lap 226, which allowed Edwards to take the lead for good.

NASCAR Race Number 17
Unofficial Race Results for the Camping World Rv Rental 250 - Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Milwaukee Mile - West Allis, WI - 1 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 250 Laps - 250 Miles - Purse: $1,185,826

Leader
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps
1 11 60 Carl Edwards Sav-a-Lot Ford 250 190 5 $50,945 Running 2 27
2 7 20 Joey Logano GameStop/Ninja Gaiden 2 Toyota 250 175 5 $42,818 Running 1 35
3 6 2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet 250 170 5 $28,350 Running 1 14
4 13 6 David Ragan Discount Tire Ford 250 160 $23,125 Running
5 5 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 250 155 $22,075 Running
6 12 29 Scott Wimmer Holiday Inn Chevrolet 250 150 $25,693 Running
7 2 1 Mike Bliss Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet 250 151 5 $26,293 Running 1 21
8 1 88 Brad Keselowski NAVY Chevrolet 250 152 10 $32,493 Running 4 145
9 4 11 Jason Keller America’s Incredible Pizza Chevrolet 250 138 $24,368 Running
10 9 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota 250 134 $26,018 Running
11 8 47 Kelly Bires Clorox Ford 250 130 $24,118 Running
12 20 33 Cale Gale # Camping World Chevrolet 250 127 $24,993 Running
13 19 70 Mark Green ForeTravel/BIOMET Chevrolet 250 124 $17,775 Running
14 24 32 James Buescher ABF Toyota 250 126 5 $23,743 Running 1 3
15 26 25 Bobby Hamilton Jr. John Morrell Ford 250 118 $24,368 Running
16 21 59 Marcos Ambrose STP Ford 250 115 $23,493 Running
17 23 30 Stanton Barrett Grandstay.net Chevrolet 250 112 $17,200 Running
18 25 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Toyota 250 109 $23,218 Running
19 14 66 Steve Wallace Jimmy John’s Chevrolet 250 111 5 $23,093 Running 1 3
20 22 40 Bryan Clauson # Fastenal Dodge 250 103 $23,968 Running
21 10 16 Colin Braun CitiFinancial Ford 250 100 $22,843 Running
22 3 5 Landon Cassill # National Guard Chevrolet 250 97 $23,268 Running
23 15 9 Chase Miller # Verizon Wireless/Motorola Dodge 249 94 $24,943 Running
24 36 81 D.J. Kennington Mahindra Tractors Dodge 248 91 $22,418 Running
25 18 27 Brad Coleman Scott Bath Tissue/Pick ‘n Save Ford 248 88 $22,468 Running
26 39 61 Kevin Lepage Long John Silver’s Chevrolet 248 85 $22,143 Running
27 33 92 Brian Keselowski # AT&T YllwPgs/CnlyAuto.com Dodge 247 82 $15,550 Running
28 34 28 Kenny Wallace US Border Patrol Chevrolet 247 84 5 $21,868 Running 1 1
29 35 24 Eric McClure Hefty Brand Chevrolet 245 76 $21,743 Running
30 40 52 Brad Teague Chevrolet 238 73 $15,400 Running
31 27 56 Travis Kittleson Bob Steele Chevrolet Chevrolet 219 70 $15,025 Accident
32 42 01 Mike Potter sponsordavis.com Chevrolet 170 67 $14,900 Brakes
33 28 22 Josh Wise Supercuts Dodge 164 64 $21,253 Engine
34 17 64 David Stremme AtreusHomes&Cmmnities Chevrolet 154 61 $21,143 Accident
35 41 4 Jerick Johnson AmrcnLgn/Rasmussen Cllge 62 58 $21,008 Handling
36 32 37 Burney Lamar Ford 58 60 5 $14,405 Ignition 1 1
37 38 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Racing Dodge 55 52 $14,295 Handling
38 31 49 Derrike Cope JVC Chevrolet 23 49 $14,260 Vibration
39 37 90 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 15 46 $14,200 Transmission
40 30 0 J.C. Stout sponsordavis.com Chevrolet 10 43 $14,140 Brakes
41 16 91 Terry Cook Chevrolet 9 40 $14,105 Vibration
42 29 73 Kertus Davis Dodge 2 0 $14,070 Brakes
43 43 05 Justin Ashburn 31W Insulation/CertainTeed Chevrolet 1 34 $14,003 Ignition
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 45,000, Carl Edwards won the Camping World RV Rental 250, his 14th career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. Before the green flag the the following drivers dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: #2 Clint Bowyer (driver change), #6 David Ragan (driver change), #59 Marcos Ambrose (driver change), #60 Carl Edwards (driver change).
Failed to Qualify: (5) 36 Ruben Pardo, 31 Kenny Hendrick, 02 Andy Ponstein, 55 Chad Chaffin, 84 Mike Harmon.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 43 Mins, 37 Secs. Average Speed: 91.678 MPH Margin of Victory: 1.589 Seconds
Caution Flags: 9 for 34 laps: Laps: 20-23 (#7, #27, #92 accident turn 4); 55-59 (#64 spun turn 2); 86-89 (#56 spun turn 3); 150-153 (#9, #16 accident turn 4); 157-159 (#64 accident turn 4); 166-168 (#16, #33 accident turn 4); 205-209 (Debris); 222-224 (#56 accident turn 1); 229-231 (#9, #66 accident turn 4).
Lead Changes: 12 among 9 drivers: B. Keselowski 1-56; B. Lamar 57; B. Keselowski 58-62; M. Bliss 63-83; B. Keselowski 84-86; K. Wallace 87; J. Buescher 88-90; B. Keselowski 91-171; J. Logano 172-206; S. Wallace 207-209; C. Edwards 210-211; C. Bowyer 212-225; C. Edwards 226-250.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) C. Bowyer 2,506;(2) B. Keselowski 2,318;(3) D. Reutimann 2,316;(4) C. Edwards 2,301;(5) D. Ragan 2,201;(6) M. Bliss 2,192;(7) Ky. Busch 2,093;(8) M. Wallace 2,053;(9) D. Stremme 1,977;(10) J. Leffler 1,968.
Coors Light Pole Award : Brad Keselowski, #88 (121.298 mph) Featherlite “Most Improved Driver” : Chase Miller, #9 (16 Places)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Brad Keselowski, #88 Mobil 1 Oil Command Performance : David Reutimann, #99
Raybestos “Rookie of the Race” : Cale Gale, #33 Sunoco Diamond Performance : Carl Edwards, #60
WIX Filters “Lap Leader” : Brad Keselowski, #88 (145 Laps)
Next Race: Jun. 28, 2008 - New Hampshire Motor Speedway