Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., received his second straight MOOG "Problem Solver of the Race" Award from Federal-Mogul Corporation after Earnhardt’s #88 Chevrolet finished third in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 9.
Eury also received the MOOG award for his team’s runner-up finish the week before at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Earnhardt and Eury, in their inaugural season together under the Hendrick Motorsports banner, first cracked the top 10 at the season-opening Daytona 500. The #88 Chevrolet was the victim of a crash in week two in Fontana, CA, but has posted impressive performance gains in each of the past two events. Thanks in part to Eury’s magic touch in the pits, Earnhardt led 62 laps in Atlanta and was one of just 13 cars to finish on the lead lap.
"Many of the drivers and crew chiefs reported that their cars were getting loose in the corners, possibly due to the track surface and a harder tire compound. Tony Eury Jr. once again made all the right chassis adjustments to help keep the #88 car in contention," said Tim Nelson, Federal-Mogul motorsports director.
The Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose team finishes in the top 10 and on the lead lap and posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to second half of a race. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul and the MOOG brand will present the Master Crew Chief of the Year Award for the best overall performance by a Sprint Cup Series crew chief.
"We’ve seen an incredible range of racing conditions over the first four races of the season, and in each case our winning crew chief has been the primary ‘Problem Solver’ for his team," said MOOG Global Marketing Director Joe Stephan. "Steering and handling precision is absolutely critical to driver safety and success in NASCAR competition, and just as important in everyday driving situations. We’re very proud that the MOOG brand plays a leading role in each of these markets."
MOOG steering and suspension products feature innovative, problem-solving designs that make them the ideal choice for racing teams, automotive technicians and vehicle owners. The brand’s "Problem Solver" parts feature a variety of innovative designs and premium materials that improve on the original part and help speed the repair. This unique problem-solving approach is closely aligned with the MOOG brand’s engineering relationship with leading NASCAR Sprint Cup teams. Every NASCAR Cup champion since 1966 has driven to victory using MOOG steering and suspension components.
For additional information regarding the NASCAR MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award and MOOG steering and suspension components, visit www.federal-mogul.com or www.moogproblemsolver.com, the brand’s new technician-focused web resource, featuring the latest vehicle repair research, product information and other useful features. More information also is available by writing to: MOOG Marketing, Federal-Mogul Corporation, 26555 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48033.
