David Ragan captured his fourth top-five finish of 2011
and his crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, was named
Federal-Mogul's MOOG® Chassis Parts
"Problem Solver of the Race" in
Saturday's Wonderful Pistachios 400 NASCAR® Sprint Cup
race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
It was Blickensderfer’s second weekly
MOOG Award, which is presented to the
crew chief whose car posts the best increase in average
lap speed from the first to the second half of the
race. Ragan and the MOOG-equipped No. 6 UPS “We Love
Logistics” Ford improved by .141-second per lap to
finish fourth on Richmond’s .75-mile oval.
“David and Drew were gunning for a win to capture an
at-large spot in the Chase field, and they very nearly
got it,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim
Nelson. “They came into the race not really sure about
their chassis setup, but Drew did an excellent job of
making adjustments as conditions changed throughout the
evening.”
Ragan started 20th but ran most of the race in the top
10, if not the top five. The No. 6 car was best on long
runs, particularly after new tires and a track bar
adjustment in its first trip to the pits. Ragan drove
through much of the field over the next 100 laps and
was running sixth by Lap 198, fifth by Lap 301 and
fourth just a few laps later. The 15th and final
caution of the race, on Lap 385 of 400, dealt a blow to
the team’s chances for victory, though Ragan restarted
fifth and picked up one last spot over the closing 11
laps.
“The No. 6 car’s MOOG-equipped chassis was at its best on
runs longer than 50 or 60 laps,” Nelson said. “Drew and
David ran a really smart race. If they had a longer
green-flag run at the finish, who knows what could have
happened – they just might have been in the winner’s
circle.”
Blickensderfer, who won the prestigious MOOG “Problem
Solver of the Year” Award in 2009, is now one of four
crew chiefs with two weekly MOOG awards this year. With
10 races remaining, four crew chiefs – Bob Osborne (No.
99 Ford), Steve Letarte (No. 88 Chevrolet), Gil Martin
(No. 29 Chevrolet) and Paul Wolfe (No. 2 Dodge) – are
leading the way with three wins each.
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
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.
Visit the company’s website at www.federal-mogul.com.
