Dennis Setzer’s stunning 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season continued Friday night with an improbable victory in Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s Infineon 200.

Runnerup Carl Edwards simply was stunned.

Setzer, who much of the evening played a supporting role to Morgan-Dollar Motorsports teammate Michael Waltrip, shot past Edwards’ Superchips Ford four laps from the finish when the Daytona winner lifted out of the gas – believing that caution had been triggered by smoke from Chad Chaffin’s damaged Dodge.

NASCAR, however, had not thrown the caution and Setzer, at the controls of the Chevrolet Silverado Chevrolet, shot past Edwards to become the season’s fifth different winner. Edwards, who led the most laps of the 201-mile race, closed the gap to less than a second but at the finish had to protect his position and slam the door on Bud Pole starter David Starr.

“It’s the dumbest mistake I ever made in my whole life,” said Edwards. “I can’t believe I did this.”

Setzer’s win, his 11th on the series, marked the first time a driver has won in seven consecutive seasons. The Newton, N.C. veteran’s last victory, at South Boston Speedway last October, aided Setzer’s charge to a second place finish in the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings.

And Setzer continues one spot better than that, adding to his points lead over Edwards, which grew to 37..

Friday’s victory, at an average speed of 107.631 mph – a pace slowed by eight caution periods – was worth $53,325. Five drivers – Setzer, Edwards, Waltrip, Bill Lester and Mike Skinner – traded the lead 13 times.

“I thought we might have a caution because I saw a whole lot of smoke but I’m not sure,” said the winner. “I just got back in it and it opened the door for us. I was just fortunate I got through there.”

Starr’s Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet made up significant ground at the finish to place third, a few feet ahead of a challenging Kevin Harvick’s Snap-On Tools Chevrolet. Michael Waltrip, who battled back-and-forth for the lead throughout the race with Edwards, was a disappointed fifth.

Shane Hmiel took sixth, followed by Rick Crawford, Travis Kvapil, Matt Crafton and Bobby Hamilton as 22 of the race’s 36 starters completed all 134 laps.

Edwards showed muscle early, taking the lead from pole starter Starr on the first lap. Starr, perhaps a bit conservative, completed the initial lap in sixth spot.

The 33rd lap – following caution for Ken Weaver’s spin in Turn 4 – brought the leaders to pit road. Lester, his Toyota on a different pit strategy, assumed a lead that lasted only a few hundred yards when Edwards blasted past on the restart.

The middle stages of the event saw Edwards and Waltrip exchange the advantage three times. Setzer, who started ninth, made his way to the front for the first time on lap 122 when Edwards and Waltrip – running side-by-side – slid up the banking between turns one and two of the 1.5-mile speedway.

Edwards regained the advantage on lap 128 in Turn 1. Chaffin’s backstretch trouble, however, reshuffled the order with Waltrip the biggest loser – after Edwards. Starr and Harvick both passed the Daytona 500 winner, who was making his first series start since 1998.

“I don’t know what Carl thinks he saw out there but I’m glad he didn’t win the race because he wrecked my truck,” said a disgruntled Waltrip.

Starr, on the final lap, drove under Edwards at the entrance to Turn 3 but got crossed up by the air off his rival’s truck.

“I was glad to get third,” said Starr, who recorded his first top-five finish of the season.

The series takes the Memorial Day weekend off before heading for Dover International Speedway and the June 4 MBNA Armed Forces 200.