Edwards Wins Busch Race

NASCAR Nextel Cup star Carl Edwards overtook Denny Hamlin with nine laps left and held on to win the Busch Series Silver Celebration 250 Saturday night at Madison, Ill.

After heavy rain delayed the start by 1 hour 40 minutes, the race had few incidents during its 200 laps. Two yellow flags came out for a total of 11 laps, one of several records tied or broken at Gateway International Speedway.

Maybe more important to NASCAR officials, the circuit’s first test run with unleaded gas went off without any noticeable changes in speed from a year ago.

Edwards averaged 119.152 in his Ford, nearly three mph faster than the previous record set by Kevin Harvick during his 2000 victory.

Edwards has won two of the last three Busch Series events and has three victories overall this season.

Hamlin dominated the race after starting the night on the pole position. He led the first 111 laps and held the lead when he entered and exited pit row on the 186th lap.

But the decision to take only a splash of gas and to not change any tires during that stop probably cost him the victory. He lasted only five more laps in first before Edwards passed him on the outside and went on for the victory.

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Kimi Raikkonen upstaged Michael Schumacher in qualifying and grabbed the pole position for today’s Formula One German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

Raikkonen posted a time of 1 minute 14.070 seconds on the 2.842-mile Hockenheimring circuit before spinning out in the final minutes of the qualifying session in his McLaren-Mercedes.

Schumacher had the fastest lap of the day in the second qualifying session but then added fuel to his Ferrari before his final attempt that counted. It was an indication that he might plan for a later pit stop in the 67-lap race.

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Sebastien Bourdais dominated the field in qualifying for today’s Champ Car World Series race, getting around the tight, bumpy 1.443-mile, seven-turn San Jose Grand Prix street circuit in 48.989 seconds (106.040 mph). Paul Tracy, who won the provisional pole Friday, will start alongside Bourdais.

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Helio Castroneves won the pole for today’s Indy Racing League Firestone Indy 400 at Brooklyn, Mich. -- his fifth pole this season -- posting a lap of 216.777 mph in a Dallara-Honda. Teammate Sam Hornish Jr., who had a fast lap of 216.466 mph, will start on the outside of the front row, giving Team Penske its fourth 1-2 start this season,

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Seventeen-year-old Colin Braun became the youngest pole winner in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series when he turned in the best qualifying lap for today’s Porsche 250 at Birmingham, Ala. He had a qualifying lap at 100.948 mph.