Edwards holds off Logano for win

Carl Edwards beat Joey Logano by almost 8 seconds in the Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on Saturday night at Madison, Ill.

Logano makes no secret of his desire to drive the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota next season in the Sprint Cup Series.

If team owner Joe Gibbs and president J.D. Gibbs offer Logano the No. 20 Sprint Cup car Tony Stewart will leave at the end of the season, there is no question as to what Logano's answer will be.

“If they offer it to me, I’d take it,” said Logano, competing in the Nationwide Series for the first time in a month Saturday. “It’s something that has been talked about, but I’m not in a position to say anything. I don’t really know what I’m going to do yet. Like I said before, I’m focused on the No. 20 Nationwide car right now, and from there, that is Joe and J.D.’s deal.”

Not that Logano, 18, thought his rise to NASCAR’s highest level would be so meteoric, but Stewart’s decision to leave Gibbs to form Stewart-Haas Racing opens a window of opportunity for the racing prodigy.

“I definitely think it’s a cool thing to even have your name in the hat on that one,” Logano said. "It’s a great team and a great car. The car has won two championships with Tony driving it. The whole team has been together for so long, and to be driving any car for Joe Gibbs Racing right now would be great.”

At Sparta, Kentucky, Johnny Benson held off Michael Annett to win the Craftsman Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway.

Kyle Busch was attempting to become the first driver to win in NASCAR’s top three series in successive starts, but he finished fifth.

The early portion of the race featured several yellow flags, and nine of the first 24 laps were run under caution. There were eight cautions overall, slowing drivers for a total of 36 laps.

There was also a 10-minute stoppage for track repairs following a red flag.

Benson grabbed the lead in the points race by one over third-place finisher Matt Crafton. Previous points leader Ron Hornaday finished 10th, dropping him to third in the standings.

The race also marked the debut for NFL wide receiver Randy Moss as a truck owner. Willie Allen started 20th in the No. 81 under the newly formed Randy Moss Motorsports team and finished 15th.

At Seattle, Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) will lead their respective categories into today’s eliminations at the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals.

Hight’s boss, John Force, did not qualify for the event. It was the first time since Sept. 3, 1979, that he will not start in Seattle on a Sunday.

At Hockenheim, Germany, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton edged Ferrari driver Felipe Massa on the final lap of qualifying to take the pole for today’s German Grand Prix.

At Lexington, Ohio, it was Penske Racing’s day, with Helio Castroneves, still seeking his first IndyCar title, and new teammate Ryan Briscoe taking the top two spots in qualifying for today’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

They were followed by Marco Andretti, IndyCar newcomer Justin Wilson and Tony Kanaan.

At Lexington, Ohio, the Flying Lizard No. 46 and No. 45 Porsches were nose to tail when they took the checkered flag to finish second and third, respectively, in GT2 at the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio. The No. 44, driven by Seth Neiman and Lonnie Pechnik, had a mechanical failure halfway through the race and was retired.

Patrick Pilet and Johannes van Overbeek drove the No. 46, with Joerg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler sharing driving duties in the No. 45 for Flying Lizard, based in Sonoma. It is the fourth double podium for the Lizards this year.

At Birmingham, Ala., the four Racer’s Group entries in today’s Rolex Series Porsche 250 by Bradley Arant qualified ninth, 15th, 16th and 17th in GT class. TRG, based in Petaluma, won the race in 2006 and finished second last year.