Brian Pattie, crew chief for Clint Bowyer and the MOOG steering and suspension-equipped No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, was chosen as Federal-Mogul’s MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” following Saturday’s NASCAR Capital City 400 Sprint Cup contest at Richmond (VA) International Raceway.
The MOOG Problem Solver Award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest improvement in average lap speed over the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. The No. 15 Toyota started 23rd but improved by a race-high 0.270-second per lap to finish seventh. It was Bowyer’s fourth top-10 finish in his inaugural year with Michael Waltrip Racing.
“Clint and Brian have been solid all year,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “Brian’s adjustments to their MOOG-equipped chassis seemed to give Clint an extra gear; he was very fast the rest of the way and they had a legitimate shot at a top-five finish.”
Bowyer rocketed through the field after Pattie and the No. 15 crew made several chassis adjustments during their second scheduled pit stop. The Toyota was running 10th by Lap 158, seventh by Lap 185 and cracked the top five with 65 laps remaining. “We had one little hiccup after the first pit stop when the car wasn’t handling very well, but we made adjustments the next stop and the car just took off,” Bowyer said. “(Brian and crew) gave me a great car and turned out good pit stops all night long.”
Federal-Mogul established the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award to highlight the critical contributions of each Sprint Cup team’s leading problem solver – the crew chief. In addition to the weekly MOOG award, the company sponsors the prestigious MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award, which goes to the crew chief with the best overall performance after 36 races.
“There are examples in each Sprint Cup event where a crew chief calls for a change that dramatically improves their competitive position,” Nelson said. “Brian made the biggest impact at Richmond. He gave Clint a great car for the track conditions and they were running toward the front the rest of the way.”
According to the company, MOOG steering and suspension components are the leading choice of crew chiefs and automotive repair professionals and have helped drive an unprecedented 46 consecutive NASCAR Cup champions to victory.
For additional information regarding MOOG chassis parts, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. To identify the right MOOG part for virtually any application, use the convenient, free www.FMe-cat.com electronic catalog.
