Flawless crew work in two late-race pit stops
propelled
Jeff Gordon and the
MOOG® chassisparts-equipped No. 24
DuPont Chevrolet to victory in Sunday's NASCAR® 5-
Hour Energy 500 Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway.
Following the race, Gordon's crew chief, Alan
Gustafson, was recognized for his role in the
team's second win of 2011 with Federal-Mogul's
prestigious MOOG® Chassis Parts
"Problem Solver of the Race"
Award.
The MOOG Problem Solver Award honors the
crew chief whose car posts the best second-half
improvement in average lap speed while finishing on
the lead lap. Although the No. 24 Chevrolet was
strong all day – starting third and consistently
running in the top five – Gustafson and the
Hendrick Motorsports crew helped deliver a race-
high 0.078-second-per-lap improvement.
“Jeff had a great car and Alan helped make it
better all day long,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director
Tim Nelson. “Then, when it all came down to pit
work over the last 44 laps, the No. 24 team
delivered two near-perfect stops that enabled Jeff
to pull away from the field.”
The No. 24 Chevrolet’s MOOG-equipped chassis provided
exceptional handling throughout the race, helping
Gordon stay within striking distance over the
initial 400 miles. Great crew work in a stop on Lap
156 enabled him to beateventual runner-up Kurt
Busch out of the pits and then power by race
leaderJuan Montoya on the restart. Gordon’s team
delivered another flawless stop – with final
chassis adjustments and fuel – some 20 laps later,
and the No. 24 car was never seriously challenged
over the final 19 trips around the 2.5-mile tri-
oval.
In addition to the weekly MOOG Problem Solver
awards, Federal-Mogul presents the MOOG
“Problem Solver of the Year” Award to the Sprint
Cup crew chief with the best overall performance
after 36 races. After 14 starts, Steve Letarte
(No. 88 Chevrolet) and Gil Martin (No. 29
Chevrolet) are tied for the lead with three MOOG
Problem Solver of the Race awards, followed by
Peter Sospenzo (No. 34 Ford) with two.
As the automotive service industry’s trusted
“Problem Solver,” MOOG steering and suspension
components are the leading choice of crew chiefs
and automotive repair professionals. MOOG parts
have helped drive anunprecedented 45 consecutive
NASCAR Cup champions to victory.
For additional information regarding MOOG chassis
parts, please visit the brand’s technician-focused
website or contact your MOOG
supplier. To identify the right MOOG part for
virtually any application, please use the
convenient, free electronic catalog.
Visit the company's website at www.federalmogul.com.
