Greg Ives, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the MOOG Steering and Suspension-equipped No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS, was named MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” after his fuel strategy helped the 88 team finish third in Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. MOOG is the Official Steering and Suspension of NASCAR.
Ives won his second MOOG Problem Solver award of the season on the basis of the 88 car’s race-best 0.160-second-per-lap improvement over the final 200 laps while finishing on the lead lap. The Hendrick Motorsports team now has one win and seven top-five finishes in 12 Cup starts. The MOOG Problem Solver of the Race and $100,000 “Problem Solver of the Year” awards are sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation.
After starting 15th, the 88 Chevrolet had advanced to ninth by Lap 92 and third by Lap 124. With Ives and crew continually adjusting the car’s steering and suspension, the MOOG-equipped Chevrolet remained in the top 15 for the balance of the race. After pitting with 62 laps to go, Ives opted to gamble that Earnhardt could make his fuel last the rest of the way. As the leaders headed onto pit road with just over 20 laps remaining, the 88 remained on the track, advancing to third. Earnhardt was able to maintain that position over the final 35 miles despite repeatedly backing off the throttle to avoid running dry.
“It’s impressive that the 88 was able to post the best second-half improvement in spite of the fact that Dale Jr. was forced to conserve fuel over that final segment,” said Tim Nelson, director of motorsports for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “The Hendrick team pulled out all the stops to improve their MOOG-equipped chassis throughout the race, and Greg chose a smart fuel strategy to dramatically improve their finish.”
The MOOG brand, the preferred choice of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, is in its 50th year of Cup competition. In recognition of the vital importance of steering and suspension components in overall vehicle safety and performance, NASCAR now requires that Cup teams use MOOG Problem Solver parts, specifically balls joints and tie rod ends. Cup Series champions have chosen MOOG parts for 49 consecutive years.
To learn more about MOOG products, contact your MOOG Steering and Suspension supplier or visit the technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website. Like MOOG on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver and follow the brand on Twitter for product updates and special promotions.