Kurt Busch posted his first top-10 finish with Phoenix Racing and his crew chief, Nick Harrison, earned his first-ever MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award in Sunday’s rain-shortened Auto Club 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA. Busch’s MOOG steering and suspension-equipped No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet started the day in 23rd position but advanced to ninth place before the race was red-flagged on Lap 129.
Sponsored by global automotive components manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corporation, the MOOG Problem Solver award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the best second-half improvement in average lap speed while finishing on the lead lap. Busch and the No. 51 car improved by a race-best .069-second following a series of early adjustments by Harrison and the Phoenix Racing crew. Harrison also called for Busch to stay out on the track during a caution on Lap 125, which helped the team crack the top 10 before heavy rain ended the day.
“Kurt is a great fit for the Phoenix Racing team and he and Nick have had the 51 car running well,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The adjustments Nick made to their MOOG steering and suspension system during the first two pit stops made a huge difference on the track. That level of problem-solving performance is what the MOOG brand and the MOOG Problem Solver awards are all about.”
Busch, who joined the single-car team in December after several years with Penske Racing, praised the work of his new crew after earning his ninth top-10 finish in 19 starts at Fontana. “This just goes to show what results when you are smart all day,” he said. “The car’s going back onto the trailer without a scratch on it, with a top-10 finish. That’s a first for us this year, and good adjustments were the key.”
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.
