A.J. Allmendinger crew chief Brian Burns won the MOOG Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” Award after the MOOG-equipped No. 47 Clorox Chevrolet SS picked up 15 positions over the final 250 laps to finish ninth in Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Burns became the 18th different crew chief to win weekly Problem Solver honors in 2014.
Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. The 47 Chevrolet, which started 15th and dropped to 24th after encountering a cooling system issue, improved by a race-best 0.159-second per lap on Martinsville’s half-mile track.
Allmendinger reported rising engine temperatures after damaging the grille of the 47 Chevrolet near the halfway point of Sunday’s race. After repairing the grille and ductwork, Burns and the JTG Daugherty Racing crew focused on dialing in the car’s MOOG-equipped chassis, making a series of rear wedge and tire pressure adjustments to help improve Allmendinger’s control coming out of the track’s comparatively flat and narrow turns. The adjustments worked and the 47 car began a steady march forward, breaking into the top 10 on Lap 302 and running as high as sixth before a late-race wreck reshuffled the field.
“Brian had his hands full with a couple of incidents, an overheating engine and a rapidly changing racetrack that kept everyone guessing with their chassis setups, but he consistently made the 47 better with every stop,” said Tim Nelson, director of motorsports for Federal-Mogul Motorparts.
Burns’ first weekly Problem Solver win did little, however, to clarify the outcome of the battle for the $100,000 MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award. With three races remaining, Ryan Newman (No. 31 Chevrolet) crew chief Luke Lambert remains in the lead with four weekly MOOG Problem Solver wins, followed by three crew chiefs – Jimmy Fennig (No. 99 Ford, Carl Edwards), Chris Heroy (No. 42 Chevrolet, Kyle Larson) and Steve Letarte (No. 88 Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Jr.) – with three wins apiece. Five crew chiefs have two weekly MOOG wins.
According to the company, MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.
For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.
