Tony Stewart dominated Friday night’s Diamond Hill Plywood 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway to take his first win of any kind at the track that has been called “Too Tough to Tame.”

The driver of the No. 20 Old Spice Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) started third and led three times for a race-high 90 laps en route to his fourth Nationwide Series win of the season. The win was yet another meaningful triumph for Stewart, as it was his first victory in 20 total starts at Darlington – 15 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and five in the Nationwide Series. Stewart’s best Darlington finish prior to Friday night’s Diamond Hill Plywood 200 was fourth in the Sprint Cup events in March 2000 and November 2001.

At the drop of the green flag, Stewart knew his Old Spice Toyota was a car to be reckoned with as he quickly took the lead on lap 14. He led the next 39 laps before giving up the top spot to Busch just prior to pitting for fresh tires and fuel on lap 57. Stewart re-took the lead on lap 65 after a strong pit stop by the Old Spice team got him out front. He held the lead for 22 more laps before surrendering the point when he pitted for the last time on lap 87. Stewart took back the top spot for the final time on lap 121 and handily led the final 29 laps, as Mark Martin and then Clint Bowyer were unable to mount a charge on the final two restarts of the race.

Finishing .814 of a second behind Stewart in the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 was runner-up Clint Bowyer, while David Reutimann, Todd Bodine and Steve Wallace rounded out the top-five. David Stremme, Jason Keller, Chase Miller, Jason Leffler and Marcos Ambrose comprised the remainder of the top-10. 

The Nationwide Series takes a rare weekend off before heading to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway for the May 24 Carquest 300.

Stewart returns to the No. 20 Old Spice Toyota June 28 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for the Camping World 200.