Carl Edwards prevailed at Gateway International Raceway Friday night, winning the  Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series event after a heated late race battle with Brad Keselowski that brought hardcore race fans to their feet.

The wild finish was set up by a lap 199 restart with Keselowski and Edwards lining up on the front row for the green-white-checkered finish. Keselowski bumped Edwards as the two rivals entered turn one on the final lap with Edwards maintaining the outside position until exiting turn four when contact sent Keselowski into the outside retaining wall. Keselowski's car bounced off the wall and into oncoming traffic, resulting in a violent impact with Shelby Howard. Both drivers were able to walk away from their mangled machines.

"I just couldn't let him take the win from me," said Edwards, who has completed a probation period for an incident at Atlanta earlier this season involving Keselowski. "My guys work way too hard for that."

Keselowski, obviously upset with the outcome of the race, said "He turned left into me and wrecked me on purpose." Keselowski's father Bob, a little more aggravated at the situation, told ESPN2, "I'll put my old driver's uniform back on and take care of this myself."

Trevor Bayne, who started from the pole, finished third followed by Paul Menard and Steve Wallace.

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