MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Kurt Busch won the pole for the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, his Nextel Cup Series-high sixth pole position of the season.

Busch circled the tight 0.526-mile oval at 97.568 mph, giving Dodge its 15th pole of the season in the 31 races where qualifying was held. He knocked Jeff Gordon to the outside of the front row after Gordon set the early standard at 97.377 mph.

Gordon, who has sat on the pole five times at Martinsville, earned his 19th top-10 starting spot in 28 races on the shortest, tightest and oldest track in the series.

The top five also has rookie Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart.

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