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Bristol, Tenn. • Kyle Busch won't get his third consecutive NASCAR weekend sweep, but he's savoring his current success.

How long it continues depends on how the defending Sprint Cup Series champion beats back an impressive list of challengers at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Busch will start fifth Sunday in the 500-lap Cup race on the half-mile track, where he and brother Kurt have the most wins among active drivers with five each. He's among four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers starting in the top five, with pole winner Carl Edwards alongside Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin fourth.

It's not like starting position matters to Busch, who leads the Cup standings by six points over Jimmie Johnson.

"It doesn't matter; long race, we'll be fine," Busch said after qualifying Friday.

Busch swept Martinsville and Texas to become the first driver to accomplish the feat since Harry Gant went back-to-back at Richmond and Dover in 1991. His four wins have come across NASCAR's three national series.

A third straight Cup win remains possible for Busch, who achieved the feat last summer.

In 32 Cup races since he returned last May from injury, Busch has seven wins, 18 top-5s and 22 top-10s with 1,255 laps led.

That total includes six top-5s this season, a strong carry over from last year's title run. The successful stretch has Busch grateful and reflective, especially since he missed last season's first 11 races recovering from leg and foot injuries sustained in an Xfinity Series wreck at Daytona.

"There were never very many thoughts that crossed my mind that I did not want to come back. This is what it's all about for me. ... You want to win them all, but you know you're going to lose a heck of a lot more than you win. We just have to stay consistent through what we're doing right now," said Busch. —

Sunday's lineup

Food City 500

At Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol, Tenn.

Lap length: .533 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (19) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 127.997.

2. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 127.419.

3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 127.191.

4. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 126.804.

5. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 126.553.

6. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 126.461.

7. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 126.112.

8. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 126.021.

9. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 125.815.

10. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 125.815.

11. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 125.732.

12. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 125.691.

13. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 125.486.

14. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 125.461.

15. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 125.436.

16. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 125.42.

17. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 125.354.

18. (21) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 125.33.

19. (24) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 125.134.

20. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 125.052.

21. (34) Chris Buescher, Ford, 124.995.

22. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 124.979.

23. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 124.597.

24. (23) David Ragan, Toyota, 124.46.

25. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 126.021.

26. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 125.831.

27. (44) Brian Scott, Ford, 125.773.

28. (38) Landon Cassill, Ford, 125.675.

29. (7) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 125.642.

30. (83) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 125.592.

31. (95) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 125.281.

32. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 125.207.

33. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 125.003.

34. (14) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 124.379.

35. (30) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 124.242.

36. (15) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 124.146.

37. (32) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ford, 123.308.

38. (55) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 123.245.

39. (98) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 122.803.

40. (46) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 122.263.