Matt Borland, crew chief for Ryan Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS, clinched the prestigious MOOG Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Year” Award during Sunday’s season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway. Borland secured the $100,000 year-end MOOG award on the basis of his Cup Series-leading five weekly MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” wins.
Sponsored by global vehicle components manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corporation (NASDAQ: FDML), the MOOG Problem Solver awards recognize the vital in-race contributions of Sprint Cup crew chiefs. The Problem Solver of the Race award is presented following each Sprint Cup contest to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. The $100,000 year-end award is presented to the crew chief with the best overall performance throughout the season. Three crew chiefs – Todd Gordon (No. 22 Ford), Gil Martin (No. 29 Chevrolet) and Paul Wolfe (No. 2 Ford) – tied for second in the final Problem Solver standings with four wins each.
“Matt demonstrated an impressive ability to anticipate changes in track conditions and continually enhance the performance of the 39 car,” said Michael Proud, director of marketing, North America, Federal-Mogul. “The MOOG Problem Solver awards are all about making the right adjustments at the right time to help move your car toward the front of the field. No one did that more effectively and consistently this year than Matt.”
Borland and the MOOG-equipped 39 Chevrolet SS captured MOOG Problem Solver of the Race honors at Fontana in March, at Darlington and Charlotte in May, at Richmond in September, and in last week’s AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix. Last week’s win broke a four-way deadlock at the top of the year-end standings. He will receive his $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year check and custom-crafted MOOG ball joint trophy during the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Award Luncheon in Las Vegas in December.
Winner of weekly MOOG Problem Solver honors in Sunday’s race was Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the MOOG-equipped No. 88 Budweiser Chevrolet. The 88 car delivered a race-best 0.385-second improvement in finishing third at Homestead. Letarte finished the year with three weekly MOOG awards.
According to the company, MOOG Steering and Suspension components are the leading choice of automotive repair professionals and top crew chiefs and have helped drive an unprecedented 48 consecutive NASCAR Cup champions to victory.
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 or follow @moogPS on Twitter. To identify the right MOOG part for virtually any application, use the convenient www.FMe-cat.com electronic catalog.