Brooklyn, Mich. ? Michael Waltrip held off a strong challenge from Todd Bodine before pulling away to win the NASCAR Busch series race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

The victory in the Cabela’s 250 was the ninth in Busch competition for Winston Cup driver Waltrip, and his first since October 1999.

“It’s a lot of fun when you win,” Waltrip said.

Jeff Burton finished second, nearly 4 seconds back, and Jeff Green edged Bodine for third to give Winston Cup drivers a sweep of the top four spots.

Bodine, in a Chevrolet, appeared to have the fastest car for most of 125-lap race but dropped to 10th after a four-tire pit stop on lap 79 during the fourth caution. Waltrip, who changed just two tires on his Chevy during that caution, took the lead from Joe Nemechek with 38 laps to go and began pulling away.

But Bodine charged through the field and caught Waltrip, pulling beside the leader on several occasions. The cars touched in Turn 2 on lap 103, and when they got to the front stretch later during that lap, Waltrip pulled down and slammed into Bodine.

The contact damaged Bodine’s right-front fender and kept him from challenging.

“He ran into me in Turn 2, and that’s not how you pass the leader,” Waltrip said. “I waited until he got to my door, and I turned into him and tried to cave in his fender in to make him push. I don’t know if worked or not.”

When told it apparently worked, Waltrip said, “I’m glad, he deserved it.”

Bodine had a different view of the final laps.

“I got into Mikey off of Turn 2, just hit him a little bit, but I didn’t mean to,” Bodine said.

“He body slammed me on the front straightway and pushed the fender in against the tire. But, hey, he was doing what he had to do. We had the best car in the field until that fender got knocked in, but it was still a good day for us.”

Bobby Hamilton Jr. finished fifth, followed by Scott Riggs, Scott Wimmer, Stacy Compton, Jimmy Spencer and Kasey Kahne.

Points leader Greg Biffle left the race with a blown engine on lap 18 and finished 42nd. His closest pursuer in the title chase, Jason Keller, led 23 laps and looked as if he might take over the point leads, but an engine problem dropped him to 35th.