Brickyard 400, NASCAR qualifying results 2016: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards give Joe Gibbs Racing front row sweep

Tony Stewart qualified third for his final Indianapolis start, while a returning Jeff Gordon starts 21st.

Defending Brickyard 400 winner Kyle Busch will go for his second straight victory from the No. 1 starting position after speeding to the pole in qualifying Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Busch's lap (184.634 mph) unseated Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards (184.547 mph) off the pole in the closing moments of qualifying for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. With passing opportunities limited around the 2.5-mile speedway and track position often critical, Busch will have an advantage as he attempts to join Jimmie Johnson (2008-2009) as the only drivers to win back-to-back Indianapolis races.

"I feel like it's really important, but I've run well here from not qualifying very well too," Busch said. "If you've got a good race car, you can make the most of your opportunities no matter where you start, but it always makes it that much easier by starting up front."

Hoosier native Tony Stewart, who is retiring at the end of the season, will start third in his final Brickyard start. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski completed the top five.

"This is the kind of weekend I wanted for my last weekend," Stewart said. "I'm having a good time with it so far."

Hendrick Motorsports uncharacteristically struggled with none of its four drivers advancing to the final round. Jimmie Johnson qualified 13th, rookie Chase Elliott 15th, Jeff Gordon 21st and Kasey Kahne 26th. The organization is coming off a three-race stretch where it failed to record a top-10 finish, which last occurred in 2000.

"I have been doing this long enough that I won't lose sleep over it," Johnson said. "It is what it is and we will come out and race tomorrow."

Gordon is making his first of two starts filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is experiencing concussion-like symptoms and out indefinitely. The 44-year-old Gordon had retired following the 2015 season, but team owner Rick Hendrick persuaded the four-time Cup Series winner to fill in until Earnhardt is medically cleared.

Gordon leads all drivers in wins, top five and top-10 finishes and laps led at Indianapolis.

"We have started in the back and won this thing before," Gordon said. "I feel real good about where we are at as a team, and the balance of the car in race trim to be able to move up through the field."

Josh Wise failed to qualify.