Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet Impala, was named the MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega (AL) Superspeedway. The No. 88 car picked up nine positions and improved by a race-high 0.039-second per lap over the second half of the race to deliver its sixth consecutive top-10 finish. Earnhardt now stands third in driver points after nine races.

Sponsored by global vehicle components manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corporation, the MOOG Problem Solver award highlights problem solving excellence on pit road by recognizing the crew chief whose car posts the greatest increase in average lap speed over the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. The No. 88 car started 18th but was running in the top five for much of the day. Letarte and the Hendrick Motorsports team continually fine-tuned the car’s MOOG-equipped steering and suspension, with virtually every change improving Earnhardt’s competitive position.

“Dale Junior and Steve told us they didn’t have a particularly fast car today, but they kept working at it with every pit stop and their adjustments made a real difference on the track,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The 88 team has made huge strides this year; they are consistently among the leaders and Steve is doing a phenomenal job of dialing in their MOOG steering and suspension system throughout each race.”

According to the company, MOOG steering and suspension components are the leading choice of crew chiefs and automotive repair professionals and have helped drive an unprecedented 46 consecutive NASCAR Cup champions to victory.

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.