2002 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400

File:Rockingham_Speedway.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]

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.{{cite web |date= |title=Fast Track High Performance Driving School, Inc |url=http://www.fasttrackracing.com/ |accessdate=July 16, 2012 |publisher=Fasttrackracing.com}}

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor
1 |Steve Park |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Pennzoil
2 |Rusty Wallace |Penske Racing South |Ford |Miller Lite
02 |Hermie Sadler |SCORE Motorsports |Chevrolet |MW Windows
4 |Mike Skinner |Morgan–McClure Motorsports |Chevrolet |Kodak
5 |Terry Labonte |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |Kellogg's
6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |Viagra
7 |Casey Atwood |Ultra-Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Sirius Satellite Radio
8 |Dale Earnhardt Jr. |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Budweiser
9 |Bill Elliott |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
10 |Johnny Benson Jr. |MBV Motorsports |Pontiac |Valvoline
11 |Brett Bodine |Brett Bodine Racing |Ford |Hooters
12 |Ryan Newman (R) |Penske Racing |Ford |Alltel
14 |Mike Wallace |A. J. Foyt Enterprises |Pontiac |Conseco
15 |Michael Waltrip |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |NAPA Auto Parts
17 |Matt Kenseth |Roush Racing |Ford |DeWalt
18 |Bobby Labonte |Joe Gibbs Racing |Pontiac |Interstate Batteries
19 |Jeremy Mayfield |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
20 |Tony Stewart |Joe Gibbs Racing |Pontiac |The Home Depot
21 |Elliott Sadler |Wood Brothers Racing |Ford |Motorcraft
22 |Ward Burton |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Caterpillar
23 |Kenny Wallace |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Hills Bros. Coffee
24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |DuPont
25 |Joe Nemechek |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |UAW, Delphi
26 |Todd Bodine |Haas-Carter Motorsports |Ford |Discover Card
28 |Ricky Rudd |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |Texaco, Havoline
29 |Kevin Harvick |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |GM Goodwrench
30 |Jeff Green |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |America Online
31 |Robby Gordon |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |Cingular Wireless
32 |Ricky Craven |PPI Motorsports |Ford |Tide
36 |Ken Schrader |MB2 Motorsports |Pontiac |M&M's
40 |Jamie McMurray |Chip Ganassi Racing |Dodge |Coors Light
41 |Jimmy Spencer |Chip Ganassi Racing |Dodge |Target
43 |John Andretti |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Pop Secret
44 |Greg Biffle |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Georgia-Pacific Brawny
45 |Kyle Petty |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Sprint
48 |Jimmie Johnson (R) |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |Lowe's
54 |Ron Hornaday Jr. |BelCar Motorsports |Chevrolet |National Guard
55 |Bobby Hamilton |Andy Petree Racing |Chevrolet |Square D
59 |Carl Long (R) |Price Motorsports |Dodge |Check into Cash
60 |Jack Sprague |Haas CNC Racing |Chevrolet |Haas Automation
66 |Hideo Fukuyama |Haas-Carter Motorsports |Ford |Japan and United States Standing Together
71 |Tim Sauter |Marcis Auto Racing |Chevrolet |Camp 28 Saloon, Wehr's
74 |Tony Raines |BACE Motorsports |Chevrolet |Staff America
77 |Dave Blaney |Jasper Motorsports |Ford |Jasper Engines & Transmissions
88 |Dale Jarrett |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |UPS
91 |Hank Parker Jr. |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |USG
97 |Kurt Busch |Roush Racing |Ford |Rubbermaid, Sharpie
99 |Jeff Burton |Roush Racing |Ford |Citgo
colspan="5" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20030212054751/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2002/34/data/entry_list.html Official entry list]

The first practice session was held on Friday, November 1, at 11:20 am EST. The session would last for two hours.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site – 2002 Rockingham 2 Race Info Page |url=http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2002/2002rock2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021213133936/http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2002/2002rock2.htm |archive-date=December 13, 2002 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}} Ryan Newman, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.744 and an average speed of {{Convert|154.195|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=Bob |date=November 1, 2002 |title=Newman puts up best lap in Friday's two-hour practice |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/4422050.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040519152527/http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/4422050.htm |archive-date=May 19, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |12 |Ryan Newman (R) |Penske Racing South |Ford |23.744 |154.195
2 |24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |23.867 |153.400
3 |19 |Jeremy Mayfield |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |23.874 |153.355
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20030212055204/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2002/34/data/practice1_speeds.html Full first practice results]

The second practice session was held on Saturday, November 2, at 9:30 am EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Rusty Wallace, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.201 and an average speed of {{Convert|151.283|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=November 2, 2002 |title=Rusty Wallace, Ryan Newman tops in Saturday's early practice |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/4429556.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021225223746/http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/4429556.htm |archive-date=December 25, 2002 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |2 |Rusty Wallace |Penske Racing South |Ford |24.201 |151.283
2 |12 |Ryan Newman (R) |Penske Racing South |Ford |24.203 |151.270
3 |17 |Matt Kenseth |Roush Racing |Ford |24.218 |151.177
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20030212055319/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2002/34/data/practice2_speeds.html Full second practice results]

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, November 2, at 11:15 am EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Todd Bodine, driving for Haas-Carter Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.280 and an average speed of {{Convert|150.791|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Marty |date=November 2, 2002 |title=T. Bodine, Martin quickest in Happy Hour |url=http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/wc/11/02/tbodine_leads/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201225138/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/wc/11/02/tbodine_leads/index.html |archive-date=February 1, 2003 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=NASCAR}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |26 |Todd Bodine |Haas-Carter Motorsports |Ford |24.280 |150.791
2 |6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |24.351 |150.351
3 |55 |Bobby Hamilton |Andy Petree Racing |Chevrolet |24.430 |149.865
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20030212060059/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2002/34/data/practice3_speeds.html Full Happy Hour practice results]

Qualifying was held on Friday, November 1, at 3:05 pm EST. 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 champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site – 2002 Provisional/Owners Points Page |url=http://www.jayski.com/stats/2002/2002prov.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205192304/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2002/2002prov.htm |archive-date=2005-02-05 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}}

Ryan Newman, driving for Penske Racing South, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.494 and an average speed of {{Convert|155.835|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Packman |first=Tim |date=November 1, 2002 |title=Newman strolls to Bud Pole at The Rock |url=http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/wc/11/01/rnewman_pole/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201223615/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/wc/11/01/rnewman_pole/index.html |archive-date=February 1, 2003 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=NASCAR}}

Five drivers would fail to qualify.

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{{2002 Winston Cup}}

Category:2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Category:November 2002 sports events in the United States

Category:NASCAR races at Rockingham Speedway

Category:2002 in sports in North Carolina