Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski are taking advantage of that “have at it boys” mentality that NASCAR has allowed on the racetrack, and Round 3 of the action went down July 17 when the two drivers battled to the finish at the Missouri-Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill. for the Nationwide Series.

Keselowski, currently in the lead in points standings for Nationwide, is a fierce competitor, and he raced Edwards hard to the final lap at Madison once again during the July 17 race. Edwards, possibly looking to make up extra points he’s already down from the young Keselowski or perhaps just plain fed up with him once again this season, intentionally wrecked Keselowski on the last lap, sending him spinning circles around the track before he sailed through the finish line at No. 14. Edwards snagged the spot in Victory Lane.

Edwards’ on-track moves were immediately called into question, bringing back memories from March when he sent Keselowski flying into the air at Atlanta to get even with him for nudging him earlier in the race. NASCAR gave Edwards a three-race probation this spring for his actions at Atlanta, with he and Keselowski participating in a behind-closed-doors meeting to smooth feathers from the race.

Now, it looks like all that was healed in March is yet again a gashing wound, with Keselowski taking the high road. After the Madison race, Edwards admitted to spinning Keselowski out on purpose, blaming it on a nudge Keselowski dealt him in Turn 1. Edwards told ESPN, “We came to the checkered flag, and I hate to see stuff tore up, but we came here to win and he took it from us there in Turn 1.”

Keselowski, who has now seen two NASCAR races this year slip between his fingers after spins by Edwards, kept his cool while talking to reporters after the Atlanta Nationwide race. He said, “He turned left into me and wrecked me on purpose. I gave him the lane, and he still wrecked me… I figured out a way to beat him. He wasn’t happy with me, so he wrecked me. Wrecking down the straightaway is never cool, whether it’s at 200 mph or 120. I’m sorry that’s the way it had to end.”

Earlier this spring when Edwards wrecked Keselowski for the first time, a few other NASCAR drivers stuck up for the seasoned veteran Edwards, proclaiming that he was keeping his respect and dignity in the racing circuit intact by showing Keselowski he wouldn’t be pushed around on the track. This time, however, Edwards may have hurt his image much more than any good that came out of it for him.

Edwards is still (as of July 20) 168 points down on Keselowski for the NASCAR Nationwide Series title, though these two firecrackers will have the rest of the season to battle it out on the track. Things are heating up on the Nationwide circuit, and NASCAR Nationwide Series tickets are in high demand for races throughout the rest of the year. Will it be Brad Keselowski or Carl Edwards who wins the one-down series this year? It’s still anyone’s to take, especially if the on-track clowning between these two continues.

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