Charlotte NASCAR: Kyle Busch holds off Jeff Gordon for pole

Joe Gibbs Racing was on course for a front row sweep with Busch and Denny Hamlin until Gordon sneaked his Hendrick Chevrolet between the two Toyotas in the last moments of final qualifying with a lap 0.024 seconds down on Busch and 0.018 ahead of Hamlin.

Tony Stewart claimed his best qualifying result since New Hampshire in July with fourth, followed by Richard Childress Racing duo Ryan Newman and Paul Menard.

Kevin Harvick, so often untouchable in qualifying this year, could not pull off a third straight pole as two disappointing runs in third qualifying left him seventh on the grid.

With the potentially wild Talladega race completing the 'Contender round' segment of the Chase next week, drivers in trouble in the standings after last week's chaotic Kansas event are under pressure to rescue their title bids this weekend.

Reigning champion Jimmie Johnson is among those languishing down the order, and Charlotte qualifying provided more cause concern as he battled an ill-handling car to 21st on the grid.

Penske has taken six Cup poles this year, but neither of its drivers got into final qualifying at Charlotte. Kansas winner Joey Logano starts 13th, with Brad Keselowski - another driver who had an incident at Kansas - qualifying 17th.

While all 12 remaining Chase contenders made it at least as far as part two of qualifying, there was one surprise in the opening segment as 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne failed to qualify for what would have made his first Cup race with 2015 employer Roush Fenway.

Format: Q1 sets 25-43, Q2 sets 13-14, Q3 sets 1-12