Harvick on pole at Texas while other Cup contenders in clump

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kevin Harvick will start from the pole at Texas Motor Speedway after a qualifying lap of 189.707 mph Saturday night.

Harvick goes into Sunday's race fifth in points with two races remaining to qualify for one of the three remaining championship-contending spots in the finale. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford won at Texas last fall.

Erik Jones will start on the front row alongside Harvick.

Joe Gibbs Racing has the top three drivers in points, but Jones is the Toyota team's only driver not in playoff contention.

Denny Hamlin, who is second in points, qualified third. Martin Truex Jr., who won last week at Martinsville and is already locked into the final four, qualified 17th.

The other five playoff contenders qualified in a clump together between the 11th and 15th spots. Joey Logano was 11th, followed by Gibbs driver Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney.

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