Edwards takes Texas Cup pole

Carl Edwards grabbed his second NASCAR Sprint Cup pole of the year in qualifying for Sunday's Texas Motor Speedway race.

One of the final drivers to run, Edwards produced a 27.535-second lap in his Roush Fenway Ford to beat 2012 champion Brad Keselowski's Penske entry to the top spot.

Just 0.084sec covered the top six drivers, with joint points leaders Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth both within that blanket.

Johnson had held provisional pole for a while before Keselowski and Kenseth came through, despite a big moment on his qualifying lap. He ended up three places clear of Kenseth, as Paul Menard and Kyle Busch got between them.

Johnson's Hendrick team-mates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and last week's Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon share row four.

Hours after his 2014 Furniture Row deal was announced, Martin Truex Jr. was current employer Michael Waltrip's leading qualifier in 15th, while present Furniture Row man Kurt Busch was only 31st.

The elder Busch was one of a number of big names that newcomer Parker Kligerman outqualified, as the Nationwide Series graduate put Swan's Toyota 23rd.