NASCAR Texas starting lineup: Jimmie Johnson leads qualifying results again

Jimmie Johnson has done it again.

NASCAR’s five-time champion and current points leader drove a courageous lap – one he called “the most exciting lap I’ve had in a long, long time” and was the only driver to top 191 mph during Friday afternoon’s Sprint Cup Series qualifying session at Texas Motor Speedway.

In doing so, Johnson won the pole for the second straight week and for the fourth time this season after not winning any last year – a season in which he snapped his championship streak.

Clearly, Johnson is back and better than ever.

“We didn’t unload like we wanted to,” he said. “... It surprised us all a little bit to lay one down like that.”

In a bit of superstition, Johnson sat in his car and refused to get out until qualifying was over. That entailed remaining in the driver’s seat for 26 more qualifying attempts on a hot day in Texas.

When asked why, Johnson – who did the same thing last week at Martinsville – said he was determined not to jinx his lap by doing an interview on TV as another driver qualified faster.

“I don’t know if it really works, but it kinda works,” he said. “I don’t believe it’s sitting in the race car, although it’s something to laugh at.”

Brad Keselowski, who enters Texas two points behind Johnson, qualified eighth.

Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top five, while the top 10 was completed by Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.

Stephen Leicht, Kelly Bires and David Stremme failed to qualify for Sunday’s race.

Here’s the starting lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway: