TALLADEGA, Ala. —Tony Stewart held off Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last-lap charge to win the Nationwide Series race today for his first career victory at Talladega Superspeedway.

Stewart started from the pole and sat comfortably out front with Earnhardt on his rear bumper just biding his time to make a move. Caution came out with five laps to go for debris, setting up a two-lap sprint to the finish.

They raced nose-to-tail for the first lap, then Earnhardt pulled out of line to make his charge. But Earnhardt didn't have enough momentum and didn't get the help he needed to race past Stewart. It allowed Stewart to go virtually unchallenged for the final lap, as Earnhardt faded to sixth.

It was Stewart's first win in any series at Talladega, where he has finished second in six Cup Series races. His previous best finish in a Nationwide race was second last year. That race was just the first time he'd made it to the finish line in five starts, with four DNFs before it.

David Stremme finished second, his best result since he finished second in Milwaukee in 2004. Bobby Hamilton Jr. was third, and both agreed nobody had a car strong enough to challenge Stewart or Earnhardt.

"They were in their own deal," Stremme said. "The rest of us were just trying to run together and make our own moves."

Stewart celebrated in Victory Lane with a young girl from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and dedicated the win to her. He said he told her before the race he'd try to win for her so she could celebrate after the race.

"I told her we'd try, now we're going to have to take her on the road the rest of the year," he said of his new lucky charm.