| Type: | NASWINSTON |
| Official Name: | 37th Annual Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 |
| Date: | November 4 |
| Pole Driver: | Kenny Wallace |
| Pole Team: | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| Announcers: | Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. |
| Most Driver: | Joe Nemechek |
| First Driver: | Joe Nemechek |
| Most Laps: | 196 |
| Most Team: | Andy Petree Racing |
| First Team: | Andy Petree Racing |
| Car: | 33 |
| Network: | TNT |
| Radio: | Motor Racing Network |
| Avg: | 128.941mph |
| Location: | Rockingham, North Carolina, North Carolina Speedway |
| Distance Km: | 643.224 |
| Scheduled Km: | 643.224 |
| Scheduled Mi: | 399.681 |
| Scheduled Laps: | 393 |
| Distance Laps: | 393 |
| Course Km: | 1.636 |
| Course Mi: | 1.017 |
| Season No: | 36 |
| Race No: | 33 |
| Race Name: | Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 |
| Year: | 2001 |
| Pole Time: | 23.668 |
| Distance Mi: | 399.681 |
| Caption: | The 2001 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 program cover. |
The 2001 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was the 33rd stock car race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 37th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 4, 2001, in Rockingham, North Carolina, at North Carolina Speedway, a 1.017miles permanent high-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 393 laps to complete. At race's end, Joe Nemechek, driving for Andy Petree Racing, managed to dominate the late stages of the race to win his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1] [2] [3] The other podium finishers were Kenny Wallace, driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and Johnny Benson Jr., driving for MBV Motorsports, who placed second and third respectively.
North Carolina Speedway was opened as a flat, one-mile oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969, the track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA, was discontinued. Currently, the track is home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School.[4]
The first practice session was held on Friday, November 2, at 11:20 AM EST. The session lasted for two hours.[5] Casey Atwood, driving for Evernham Motorsports, set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.848 and an average speed of 153.522mph.[6]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 23.848 | 153.522 | |
| 2 | 1 | Kenny Wallace | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 23.865 | 153.413 | |
| 3 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 23.882 | 153.304 | |
| Full first practice results | |||||||
The second session was held on Saturday, November 3, at 10:15 AM EST. The session lasted for 45 minutes. Rusty Wallace, driving for Penske Racing South, set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.455 and an average speed of 149.773mph.[7]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 24.455 | 149.773 | |
| 2 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 24.618 | 148.720 | |
| 3 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates | Dodge | 24.662 | 148.662 | |
| Full second practice results | |||||||
The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, November 3, at 12:00 PM EST. The session lasted 45 minutes. Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.475 and an average speed of 149.589mph.[8]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 24.475 | 149.589 | |
| 2 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 24.573 | 148.993 | |
| 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 24.601 | 148.823 | |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | |||||||
Qualifying was held on Friday, November 2, at 3:05 PM EST. Each driver had two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two counted as their official qualifying lap. Positions 1-36 were be decided on time, while positions 37-43 were be based on provisionals. Six spots were awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh was awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needed the provisional, the next team in the owner points would be awarded a provisional.[9]
Kenny Wallace, driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., won the pole, setting a time of 23.668 and an average speed of 154.69mph.[10]
Rick Mast was the only driver to fail to qualify.