WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Since losing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title last year to Tony Stewart by the slimmest of margins, Carl Edwards has struggled.

It has been 54 races since Edwards' last Cup victory — at Las Vegas in March 2011 — and he has fallen out of the top 10 in points this year at NASCAR's highest level.

Edwards can still wheel it in the Nationwide Series, though, and proved it Saturday by winning his first start of the season in NASCAR's second-tier series.

Edwards held off Brad Keselowski on two late restarts in the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International.

"We got the trophy, and that is nice to win a race," Edwards said. "We really need to win a race in the Cup series. I think this will help with that. It never hurts to get to victory lane."

Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw finished seventh of 43.

Note

• Juan Pablo Montoya earned a Sprint Cup pole for the second consecutive week when he led qualifiers for Sunday's Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen. His lap of 127.020 mph was a record on the 11-turn course.

Kyle Busch was second.

Greg Biffle of Vancouver, Wash., qualified in 15th, and Kahne will start in 20th.