Travis Geisler, crew chief of the No. 77 Penske Truck Rental/AAA Dodge Charger driven by Sam Hornish Jr., mastered highly variable track and weather conditions in helping Hornish post his fourth top-10 finish of the NASCAR® Sprint Cup season during the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Following the race, Geisler was presented the NASCAR MOOG® “Problem Solver of the Race” Award in recognition of his performance in the pits during the rain-shortened event. Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, manufacturer of MOOG chassis parts, the MOOG “Problem Solver” Award is presented following each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose team finishes on the lead lap and posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of an event.
Facing unstable weather and track conditions, Geisler and the No. 77 Penske crew made a variety of chassis adjustments that improved the No. 77 car’s performance from the 26th starting position to 13th position by Lap 100.
After another round of pit stops, the crew installed four new tires and adjusted the car’s MOOG-equipped steering and suspension. Hornish began a charge that moved him up to fourth position by Lap 195, a spot he maintained until the next round of green-flag pit stops. The No. 77 came out of the pits in 14th position, moved up to eighth and seemed destined for the top five (as the other cars were about to make their last pit stops), but a race-ending storm locked him into an eighth place finish.
“Travis and Sam had their car headed for a top-five finish before the rain hit,” says Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The key to success in challenging weather is to listen carefully to what the driver is reporting and make adjustments that reflect that input. It’s obvious that Travis and Sam were on the same page, as the No. 77 car just kept closing in on the leaders. The Dodge’s handling seemed to improve following each pit stop thanks to fantastic pit calls and with the repetitive response of the precise steering and suspension articulation of MOOG chassis parts.”
For more information, visit www.moogproblemsolver.com.
