Ryan Newman picked up 13 positions to finish eighth in Sunday’s GoBowling.com 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Pocono Raceway, boosting the No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet team to fifth in Chase points. Newman’s crew chief, Luke Lambert, received the MOOG Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” Award after the MOOG-equipped 31 car posted an event-best 0.251-second-per-lap improvement over the final 80 laps.
Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car delivers the best second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul Motorparts will present the $100,000 MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award to the crew chief with the best overall performance throughout the 36-race Sprint Cup season.
Newman, Lambert and the Richard Childress Racing team came to Pocono with hopes for a much-needed win, but the team’s second top-10 finish helped strengthen its position in the Chase standings. The 31 team ranks second among teams holding provisional spots for the 16-car Chase field with five races to go before the start of the Chase. In spite of the new qualifying format’s increased emphasis on wins, Newman and Lambert remain in strong contention thanks to consistent performance through the first 21 events.
“Luke had an excellent day on the pit box, helping Ryan find additional speed and improved track position through a series of second-half chassis adjustments,” said Tim Nelson, director of motorsports for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “They’re in pretty good shape from a points perspective, but they still have plenty of time to get their first win of the season and lock up a Chase spot.”
Lambert became the 15th different crew chief to earn MOOG Problem Solver honors in 2014. Dale Earnhardt Jr. crew chief Steve Letarte leads the year-end MOOG award standings with three weekly Problem Solver wins, followed by four crew chiefs with two wins apiece.
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.