Junior's first year with Hendrick had its ups and downs

FORT WORTH, Texas

Closing in on his first season with Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows it has been one of promise and disappointment.

Earnhardt made the Chase and won a race - his victory at Michigan in June snapped a 76-race winless streak - but he has only three top-10 finishes in the last 15 races.

"I got a lot of things that I was looking for," he said. "I was looking for peace of mind and some satisfaction and being able to enjoy my job.

"We didn't run like we wanted to, obviously. I was real happy with the first half of the year... but we didn't get the finishes the second half of the season that we wanted."

Earnhardt said he'll focus next season on the second half of the year.

Gordon wins pole at Texas

Jeff Gordon had to laugh with his pole run Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon has started on the pole once before at this track but that was when qualifying was rained out and he got it based on being the points leader. This wasn't a track - a place where he has never won a Cup race - he thought he'd win the pole.

"I just think that it is so ironic that the last three tracks - Martinsville, Charlotte and Atlanta - all tracks that we felt like we could win the pole at, we didn't get the opportunity because of rain," he said. "I thought the last place we could win a pole was here at Texas."

Gordon won the pole with a lap of 188.469 mph. Martin Truex Jr. starts second after a lap of 188.003 mph. They're followed by Clint Bowyer (187.859 mph), Jamie McMurray (187.859) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (187.748).

Points leader Jimmie Johnson starts seventh. Carl Edwards starts 16th. Greg Biffle starts 19th.

Tony Raines, Bryan Clauson, Chad McCumbee, Max Papis and Johnny Sauter failed to qualify.

Mears to finish with Hendrick

Casey Mears will finish the season with Hendrick Motorsports and not move to Richard Childress Racing for the season finale at Homestead.

Both teams looked into the possibility, which would allow Mark Martin to drive the No. 5 car at Homestead and prepare for next year with the team. Too many obstacles prevented the last-race move.

Pit passes

Brad Keselowski qualified 37th to earn his first career Cup start.... Edwards earned his fourth pole of the season Friday in the Nationwide Series with a lap of 188.101 mph in his Ford. He trails points leader Bowyer by 116 points with three races to go.