Hendrick Motorsports

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept 27, 2002)—Jimmie Johnson posted the second-quickest lap during Protection One 400 qualifying at Kansas Speedway on Friday, earning his 11th top-10 start in 2002.

Driving the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, the rookie driver laid down a lap of 30.362 seconds and 177.854 mph, just .012 seconds behind pole-sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon was 10th in the No. 24 DuPont Chevy, with Joe Nemechek 12th in the No. 25 UAW-Delphi Monte Carlo and Terry Labonte 18th in the No. 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet.

Jack Sprague qualified 23rd in the Gene Haas-owned No. 60 HAAS Automation Chevy.

In NASCAR Busch Series qualifying, Sprague was 16th in the No. 24 NetZero Chevrolet, with Ricky Hendrick 27th in the No. 5 GMAC Financial Services Monte Carlo.

Michael Waltrip will start on the pole in Saturday’s Mr. Goodcents 300 Busch Series event at the Kansas City, Kan., track.