Darian Grubb, crew chief for
Tony Stewart and the No. 14 El
Monterey/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala, joined six
other NASCAR® Sprint Cup crew chiefs in the lead for
Federal-Mogul’s (NASDAQ: FDML) 2011
MOOG® Chassis Parts “Problem Solver
of the Year” Award after he captured weekly MOOG
Problem Solver honors in Sunday’s Good Sam 500 at
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
Grubb received his third MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race”
Award after the Stewart-Hass Racing-owned Chevrolet
posted a race-high 0.188-second-per-lap improvement
over the final 94 laps to finish seventh on
Talladega’s 2.66-mile tri-oval. The finish moved
Stewart up one spot to fourth in the Chase for the
Sprint Cup with just four races remaining.
Grubb’s weekly MOOG Problem Solver award propelled
him into a seven-way tie with crew chiefs Drew
Blickensderfer (No. 6 Ford), Steve Letarte (No. 88
Chevrolet), Gil Martin (No. 29 Chevrolet), Bob
Osborne (No. 99 Ford), Shane Wilson (No. 33
Chevrolet), and Paul Wolfe (No. 2 Dodge) for the
prestigious season-ending MOOG award. In the case of
a tie at year-end, the award will be presented to
the crew chief whose team finishes highest in the
Chase standings.
“The MOOG Problem Solver awards are always very
competitive, but this is the tightest battle we’ve
ever seen,” said
Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson.
“The next four races should be a lot of fun for fans
to watch as these crew chiefs look for the best way
to maximize the performance of their cars’ MOOG-equipped steering and
suspension systems.”
Stewart and the No. 14 Chevrolet started the day in
12th position but quickly moved up to the front in a
two-car draft with Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman
(No. 39 Chevrolet). When Newman spun into the
infield on Lap 81, Stewart found another drafting
partner to push him into the lead from laps 136
through 145 and 149 through 156. Heregained the lead
for nine laps near the end of the race before losing
his drafting partner and falling back to
seventh.
“Darian and Tony had an excellent strategy and a
very fast car,” Nelson said. “Losing Ryan (Newman)
as their drafting partner was a huge blow, but they
picked up the pieces and stayed in the top five for
most of the day. The No. 14 car’s MOOG-equipped
chassis was dialed in perfectly to give Tony both
the speed and handling precision he needed to avoid
trouble out there.”
PAGE 2
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 or visit the company's
website at www.federalmogul.com.
