| Type: | NASWINSTON |
| Scheduled Laps: | 267 |
| Attendance: | 78,000 |
| Avg: | 119.394mph |
| Announcers: | Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. |
| Radio: | Motor Racing Network |
| Network: | NBC |
| Most Laps: | 116 |
| Pole Team: | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| First Team: | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Most Team: | Hendrick Motorsports |
| First Driver: | Jeff Gordon |
| Most Driver: | Jeff Gordon |
| Car: | 24 |
| Pole Driver: | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| Distance Laps: | 267 |
| Location: | Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas Speedway |
| Scheduled Mi: | 400.5 |
| Course Km: | 2.41 |
| Course Mi: | 1.5 |
| Scheduled Km: | 644.542 |
| Distance Km: | 644.542 |
| Official Name: | Second Annual Protection One 400 |
| Date: | September 29 |
| Season No: | 36 |
| Race No: | 29 |
| Race Name: | Protection One 400 |
| Year: | 2002 |
| Pole Time: | 30.350 |
| Distance Mi: | 400.5 |
| Caption: | The 2002 Protection One 400 program cover. |
The 2002 Protection One 400 was the 29th stock car race of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the second iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 29, 2002, before a crowd of 78,000 in Kansas City, Kansas, at Kansas Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent D-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 267 laps to complete. At race's end, Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would pull away on the final restart with three laps to go to win his 61st career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his third and final win of the season.[1] [2] To fill out the podium, Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace, both driving for Penske Racing, would finish second and third, respectively.
Sterling Marlin suffered a neck injury from a crash during the race, which resulted in him missing the rest of the season.[3]
Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The NTT IndyCar Series also raced there until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.
The first practice session was held on Friday, September 27, at 11:20 AM CST, and would last for 2 hours.[4] Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.430 and an average speed of 177.456mph.[5]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (R) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.430 | 177.456 | |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Newman (R) | Penske Racing | Ford | 30.466 | 177.247 | |
| 3 | 25 | Joe Nemechek | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.473 | 177.206 | |
| Full first practice results | |||||||
The second practice session was held on Saturday, September 28, at 9:30 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes. Ryan Newman of Penske Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.898 and an average speed of 174.769mph.[6]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Newman (R) | Penske Racing | Ford | 30.898 | 174.769 | |
| 2 | 97 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing | Ford | 31.108 | 173.589 | |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.128 | 173.477 | |
| Full second practice results | |||||||
The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, September 28, at 11:15 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes. Steve Park of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 31.554 and an average speed of 171.135mph.[7]
During the opening minutes of the session, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would crash in turn two, forcing the team to go to a backup car.[8]
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 31.554 | 171.135 | |
| 2 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (R) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.585 | 170.967 | |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.609 | 170.837 | |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | |||||||
Qualifying was held on Friday, September 27, at 3:05 PM CST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap. Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[9]
Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would win the pole, setting a time of 30.350 and an average speed of 177.924mph.[10]
Three drivers would fail to qualify: Brett Bodine, Kirk Shelmerdine, and Carl Long.