Marcos Ambrose and the
MOOG® chassis parts-equipped
No. 9 Dewalt Ford roared back from 31st
position with 55 laps remaining to finish ninth
in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Sprint
Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Following the race, Ambrose's crew chief, Todd
Parrott, was named MOOG
"Problem Solver of the Race"
for his role in the No. 9 car's sixth top-10
finish of the year.
One of Sprint Cup racing’s most prestigious
weekly honors, the MOOG Problem Solver Award is
presented to the crew chief whose car posts the
best second-half improvement in average lap
speed while finishing on the lead lap. The
Richard Petty Motorsports-owned No. 9 Ford
delivered a race-best 0.011-second change on
New Hampshire’s 1.058-mile oval.
Ambrose, who started 22nd, had methodically
improved his position all day and led for four
laps before a succession of cautions reshuffled
the field. He still seemed destined for a top-
10 finish until a loose wheel forced a return
to the pits on Lap 240, leaving the No. 9 car
mired in 31st place. But, aided by a 56-lap
green flag run and a nicely dialed-in chassis
featuring MOOG steering and suspension
components, the 35-year-old Australian driver
rocketed through the field, completing his 22nd
pass with just a quarter mile to go.
“Sometimes great crew chiefs work a problem all
day and sometimes that problem is thrust upon
them late in a race,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports
Director Tim Nelson. “It seemed like Todd and
Marcos were out of the running after the loose
wheel, but they regrouped and showed how fast
their car really was. No problem is
insurmountable in the mind of a Sprint Cup crew
chief.”
The MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award was
Parrot’s first of 2011. With 19 races complete,
three crew chiefs – Bob Osborne (No. 99 Ford),
Steve Letarte (No. 88 Chevrolet) and Gil Martin
(No. 29 Chevrolet) – are tied for first place
with three wins each in the battle for the
season-ending MOOG Problem Solver of the Year
Award.
MOOG steering and suspension components are the
leading choice of NASCAR crew chiefs and
automotive repair professionals and have helped
drive an unprecedented 45 consecutive NASCAR
Cup champions to victory.
For the latest news and statistics regarding
the MOOG Problem Solver awards, simply click on
the “NASCAR” link on the brand’s popular moog problemsolver website.
This technician-focused site also includes
extensive technical information about MOOG
steering and suspension components and a wide
range of common chassis repair challenges. To
identify the right MOOG part for virtually any
application, please use the convenient, free electronic
catalog.
