Mark Martin scored his 49th career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory Saturday in the Sam's Town 300 after leader Brad Keselowski's tire blew and sent the Penske driver into the outside retaining wall on the final lap.

“I don’t care how hard you try, you can’t win these things," said Martin, who garnered Turner Motorsports their first Nationwide win. "Then when it’s time, it just happens.”

Martin entered the late stages of the 300-mile event unsure if there was enough fuel to make it to the finish. Turner Motorsports crew chief Trent Owens came on the radio informing Martin of the fuel problem and asked the veteran driver to conserve as much as possible.

"Trent Owens deserves the credit," Martin said of his crew chiefs decision to stay out. "The only chance we had was to save, save, save. That's a storybook ending for me."

Owens was equally as complimentary of Martin. "Mark did a great job saving the fuel and that won the race for us. We're going to celebrate tonight."

Keselowski took the lead on lap 189 when Carl Edwards ducked onto pit road for a splash of fuel and seemed to be on his way to Victory Lane before a tire went down on the No. 22 Dodge with the checkered flag in sight.

“I felt like we had it, obviously, we didn’t," said Keselowski. It’s just one of those days where you do everything right and don’t win. I guess that’s why they call it racing.”

Justin Allgaier finished second with Keselowski limping across the line in third. Danica Patrick and Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne completed the top-five.

Much of the talk after the race was about Danica's fourth-place finish in her 16th NASCAR race. Starting 22nd in the 43-car field and going two laps down to the leaders at one point, Patrick worked her way to the front throughout the race to become the highest finishing female in a NASCAR race.

"We worked so hard on the car this weekend," Patrick said. "We didn't have a lot of practice but I knew we had a good car. I was hoping for a top-10, that was my secret goal, and I got a top-five."

Finishing sixth through tenth were Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Jason Leffler and Kenny Wallace.

Kyle Busch, who led every lap of last week's Nationwide race at Phoenix, had a strong car until his single-car crash on lap 130 ended his day. Busch led 84 laps before going to the garage.

“Unfortunately, I screwed up,” Busch said. “That’s why I run these races, so I can learn and not do it tomorrow.”

Saturday's win is Mark Martin's fifth NASCAR win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "It was a real special win,” Mrtin said. 

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