MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Carl Edwards held off David Reutimann to win the Kroger On Track for the Cure 250 today, keeping alive his hopes for a second straight NASCAR Nationwide Series title.

Edwards, who missed qualifying at Memphis Motorsports Park because of practice for Sunday's Sprint Cup Race in Atlanta, started 34th in his No. 60 Ford but made an early stop for fresh tires and gained ground quickly. He took the lead from Mike Bliss on lap 69, and never trailed after that.

Reutimann kept his Toyota on Edwards' rear bumper for the final two laps, but couldn't overtake him for the lead.

Edwards pulled within 116 points of series leader Clint Bowyer, who finished 16th. There are three races remaining on the schedule.

Kenny Wallace finished third, his best series finish since 2005 and the best finish ever for team owner Jay Robinson. He was followed by Austin Dillon, grandson of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress who was making just his second Nationwide Series start. Joey Logano finished fifth and Chase Miller sixth, the only other drivers on the lead lap.

Edwards and the lead pack held out to the last second on a round of green flag pit stops that started on lap 92, and put the field a lap down at the halfway point of the race when Bowyer spun on the track, bringing out one of eight cautions. It was a much cleaner race than a year ago, when the yellow flag came out 25 times.

Earlier in the day, 18-year-old James Buescher, in only his sixth career Nationwide Series start, grabbed the pole with a lap of 117.591 mph in the Braun Racing Toyota. He is the third-youngest polesitter in series history (18 years, 214 days), behind only Casey Atwood and Logano. He finished 19th in the race.