CONCORD, N.C. (AP) – Carl Edwards grabbed the lead away from Casey Mears on a restart with six laps to go and pulled away to win the Busch Series race Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Edwards had been right on Mears’ bumper for the final 18 laps, but had trouble passing him. The 12th caution came out with nine to go and it gave Edwards one final chance to grab the victory.

But Mears was trying to go the final 88 laps on one tank of gas and the same set of tires. His fuel light had come on shortly before the restart, and he apparently had a pick-up problem on the restart.

As Mears’ car paused, Edwards shot right by him and drove away for his first Busch win of the year.

“Casey was doing such a great job, but our team was really good, also,” Edwards said. “Our car so great. I had a plan. I was really going to juke him a little bit on that last restart and I was sad to see him lose it that way.”

Edwards’ win made Nextel Cup regulars a perfect 13-for-13 in Busch races this season.

Kurt Busch finished second, J.J. Yeley was third and Mears recovered to finish fourth.

“It’s pretty frustrating, I don’t know what I have to do to win a race,” said Mears, winless in all NASCAR competition. “We lead these races and something happens that we don’t win. We gambled to win this race, that’s what we’re here to do. It was running good and we’re on the straightaway and just didn’t pick up enough fuel.

“It starved itself for fuel on the restart.”

Martin Truex Jr. finished fifth, Jeff Burton was sixth and was followed by Jimmie Johnson and Busch Series points leader Kevin Harvick, who came from two laps down.

Clint Bowyer, who came into the race second in the points standings, crashed early so Harvick now has a 348-point lead over Edwards.

“The race car helped us out, but it was a good night, a good rebound and that’s what makes championships,” Harvick said.

Todd Kleuver was ninth, the highest finishing Busch driver.

Nextel Cup drivers Jamie McMurray and Tony Stewart were both taken to a hospital for evaluations following separate accidents early in the race.

McMurray hit the wall just three laps into the race.

“That hurt,” he said. “It was probably one of the biggest hits I’ve ever taken.”

Stewart hit almost the same place seven laps later, and was rubbing his right shoulder when he got out of the car.

“I have one spot on my right shoulder blade that is really sore, so I’m going to get some X-rays,” he said.

Both drivers were released after quick checkups, and both were cleared to race Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600.

Also, debris from a late caution went into the stands and hit two spectators. Track spokesman Jerry Gappens said the fans received only minor injuries.

AP-ES-05-27-06 2321EDT


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