Gordon Leads HMS in Rockingham Qualifying

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Nov. 1, 2002) -- Jeff Gordon led all four Hendrick Motorsports teams in Friday’s NASCAR Winston Cup Series qualifying session at North Carolina Speedway, posting the 18th-best time on the race track. The four-time Winston Cup champion was followed by Joe Nemechek, driver of the No. 25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet, in 21st, Jimmie Johnson in 31st and Terry Labonte 38th in the No. 5 Kellogg’s Monte Carlo. Ryan Newman earned the pole position for Sunday’s Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 with a fast lap of 23.494 seconds and 155.835 mph. Driving the No. 24 DuPont Chevy, Gordon was also the quickest of his teammates in pre-qualifying practice at the Rockingham, N.C., track, finishing the session in second overall, .123 seconds behind Newman’s fast lap of 23.744 seconds. Johnson was 15th in the No. 48 Lowe’s Monte Carlo, followed Nemechek in 20th and Labonte in 43rd. Sunday’s Pop Secret Microwave 400 is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET green flag from North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, N.C.