Rookie Kyle Larson, who just missed out on a spot in the 16-car Chase for the Sprint Cup, roared from the back of the pack to lead 20 laps and finish third in Sunday’s MyAFibStory.com 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. Following the event, Larson’s crew chief, Chris Heroy, was selected as the MOOG Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” based on the MOOG-equipped No. 42 Target Chevrolet’s 0.366-second-per-lap improvement over the final 134 laps.
The Chase opener was won by Brad Keselowski and the MOOG-equipped No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion.
Sponsored by MOOG Steering and Suspension manufacturer Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car delivers the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. Federal-Mogul Motorparts also sponsors the $100,000 MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award, presented to the crew chief with the best performance throughout the 36-race Sprint Cup season.
The 22-year-old Larson, who drove a backup car and was relegated to 41st in the starting grid after crashing in Saturday’s practice session, quickly became a factor in Sunday’s race, moving into the top five within the first 70 laps. The 42 car was “hauling butt,” the driver said, and it continued to improve as the race wore on, with Heroy and the Chip Ganassi Racing team continually adjusting the car’s MOOG-equipped chassis in anticipation of changing track conditions.
“Kyle is a great story, and he was fearless out there today, but Chris played a huge part in the 42 car’s success. He gave Kyle a perfect setup in their backup car and then continued to make it faster all afternoon. It was a truly masterful performance on pit road this afternoon,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts.
Heroy’s weekly MOOG award is the first of his career and increases to 18 the number of crew chiefs who have won Problem Solver of the Race honors in 2014. Meanwhile, the top of the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year standings remains unchanged, with crew chiefs Jimmy Fennig (No. 99 Ford, Carl Edwards) and Steve Letarte (No. 88 Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Jr.) tied for the lead with three weekly MOOG wins each. Four crew chiefs have two weekly Problem Solver 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.