NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chiefs Scott Miller, Tony Gibson and Tony Eury Jr. have won the MOOG "Problem Solver of the Race" Award for their performances in the past four series events.
The Problem Solver of the Race Award is sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, manufacturer and marketer of MOOG steering and suspension products.
Miller, crew chief for the #31 Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton, received his MOOG award following the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville (VA) Speedway in late March. The #31 car started the race in 24th position but improved its average lap time by .046-second over the second half of the event to finish in third place.
Gibson, crew chief for the Mark Martin-driven #8 Chevrolet, won the MOOG award following the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 6 and the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12. The #8 car finished eighth and picked up .09-second in average lap time after having started in 31st position in Texas. In Phoenix the #8 Chevrolet led 63 laps before falling back to a fifth-place finish following a late fuel stop. The car improved its average lap speed by a .273-second in the second half of the race.
Eury, already the winner of two previous MOOG awards this season, is crew chief for the #88 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. His third award-winning performance took place at the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega (AL) Superspeedway, where the #88 car improved its average lap speed by .019-second and earned a 10th-place finish.
The MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose team finishes in the top 10 and on the lead lap and posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of a race. In addition to the weekly award, Federal-Mogul will present a year-end MOOG Master Crew Chief of the Year Award for the best overall performance by a Sprint Cup Series crew chief.
“Each MOOG award winner has demonstrated exceptional skill in solving the countless challenges that arise during a Sprint Cup event,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “Racing’s best crew chiefs never stop trying to capture that next millisecond improvement by modifying their cars’ chassis setup to match ever-changing track and environmental conditions.”
MOOG steering and suspension products feature innovative, problem-solving designs that make them the ideal choice for racing teams, automotive technicians and vehicle owners. Every NASCAR Cup Champion since 1966 has driven to victory using MOOG components.
For additional information regarding the NASCAR MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award and MOOG steering and suspension components, visit www.federal-mogul.com or www.moogproblemsolver.com, the brand’s new technician-focused web resource. More information also is available by writing to MOOG Marketing, Federal-Mogul Corporation, 26555 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48033.