NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Carl Edwards scored his fifth top-five finish of the year and his crew chief, Bob Osborne, took home Federal-Mogul’s MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award in Saturday night’s Crown Royal Presents 400 at Richmond (VA) International Raceway.
Osborne captured the weekly MOOG Problem Solver award after Edwards and the #99 Scotts EZ Seed Ford posted the largest increase (0.122-second) in average lap speed over the final 200 laps of Richmond’s .75-mile track. Edwards’ fifth-place finish kept him on top of the 2011 Sprint Cup field with a nine-point advantage over five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson.
The MOOG chassis parts-equipped #99 car started eighth but fell back to 20th after making contact with Johnson’s #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet on Lap 122. Osborne and the Roush Fenway Racing crew tweaked Edwards’ chassis and suspension throughout the night to enhance steering precision and handling and help stay ahead of cooling track temperatures.
“That might have been Carl and Bob’s toughest fifth-place finish ever with all of the work they did in the pits,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “A lot of teams battled loose steering as temperatures dropped into the low 60s and upper 50s, but Bob ultimately gave Carl a very competitive car. Tonight, no one was a better ‘Problem Solver’ than Bob when it came to maximizing the benefits of MOOG steering and suspension components.”
MOOG parts are the leading choice of crew chiefs and automotive repair professionals and have helped drive an unprecedented 45 consecutive NASCAR Cup champions to victory. The unique benefits of MOOG components and other Federal-Mogul products are highlighted in the company’s innovative "Smart Choice" campaign, which reinforces the message that longer lasting, better performing replacement parts are today’s best option for technicians and consumers.
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.