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(AP) -- Kyle Busch has won his first pole position of the season by edging Kasey Kahne.
 
Busch, the last driver in Friday's qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race on Sunday at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, had a 133.417 mph lap to capture the ninth pole of his career.

Kahne, who drove 133.403 mph on the fastest of his two laps, will start alongside Busch.
 
Busch nearly brushed the wall near the end of his qualifying run.
 
Denny Hamlin had held the second spot with a lap of 133.399 mph until Kahne knocked him back to third in the 44-car field.
 
Rounding out the top 10 were Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.

Carl Edwards will start 21st.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is optimistic about his sponsorship relationship with the National Guard despite the U.S. Army's decision to end its association with another team, Stewart-Haas Racing, next season.
 
The runner-up in NASCAR's Sprint Cup standings said Friday he was "disappointed" by the Army's decision announced last Tuesday.
 
Ryan Newman, who drives for SHR, attributed the decision to end the sponsorship to "true politics."
 
Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota and Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia are backing an amendment that would prohibit military sponsorship of sports.

McCollum lost a House vote a year ago to end military sponsorships of NASCAR, professional wrestling and fishing, but is trying again to have about $80 million in sponsorship cut from the defense budget.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)