Steve Letarte, crew chief for
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard – An
American Salute/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet, received Federal-
Mogul’s
MOOG® “Problem Solver of the Race” Award after the 88
car posted its seventh top-10 finish in eight races in the
Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR® Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. The No. 88 team, which had just 12 top-10s in all of
2011, stands fourth overall in Sprint Cup points.
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One of Cup racing’s most prestigious honors, the MOOG Problem Solver award
is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest
improvement in average lap speed during the second half of the
race while finishing on the lead lap. The No. 88 Chevrolet
started 12th but improved by a race-best 0.150-second per lap to
finish sixth on Charlotte’s mile-and-a-half quad-oval.
Racing the same chassis that won the preliminary Sprint Showdown
event and the fourth segment of the Sprint All-Star race at
Charlotte last week, Earnhardt ran in the top 10 for most of the
night as Letarte and the Hendrick Motorsports crew continually
adjusted the car’s
MOOG-equipped chassis to address rapidly cooling track
temperatures. The 88 car was at its best in the final 80 laps as
it solidified its position in the top eight, with Earnhardt
trying to mount a challenge to eventual race winner and Hendrick
Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne.
“Steve and Dale had the second fastest Chevrolet on the track,
behind Kasey, and they kept getting better all night long, which
is what the MOOG Problem Solver award is all about,” says Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim
Nelson. “They have made huge progress this year, and it’s only a
matter of time until they put it all together for a win.”
For more information, visit www.moogproblemsolver.com or electronic
catalog.
