2001 Protection One 400
The 2001 Protection One 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held on September 30, 2001, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The race was the 28th of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The race was the inaugural Cup race held at the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) track. Jason Leffler from Chip Ganassi Racing won his first career pole position with a qualifying speed of 176.499 miles per hour (284.048 km/h). Penske Racing's Rusty Wallace led the most laps with 117, while Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won the race.
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 28 of 36 in the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
|
2001 Protection One 400 program cover | |||
| Date | September 30, 2001 | ||
| Location | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 1.5 mi (2.4 km) | ||
| Distance | 267 laps, 400 mi (644.542 km) | ||
| Weather | Mild with temperatures of 73.9 °F (23.3 °C); wind speeds of 7 miles per hour (11 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 110.576 mph (177.955 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Chip Ganassi Racing | ||
| Time | 30.595 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | |
| Laps | 117 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | NBC | ||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. | ||
| Nielsen Ratings | 4.7 | ||
Due to the September 11 attacks happening earlier in the month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a no-fly zone, prohibiting aircraft from flying within three miles of any sporting event area, which also includes an altitude of 300 feet. To increase security, coolers and large bags were banned from the track, At the same time, other items like purses and binoculars were subject to inspection. Meanwhile, in the sense of patriotism after the attacks, Sterling Marlin ran a "God Bless America" paint scheme, which had not been prepared in time for the 2001 MBNA Cal Ripken Jr. 400 the week before. To support victims of the attacks, Marlin's sponsor Coors Brewing Company donated $10 for every lap completed at the race by Marlin.