Carl Edwards rebounded from early-race struggles to finish third and his crew chief, Bob Osborne, was named Federal-Mogul’s MOOG Chassis Parts “Problem Solver of the Race” for the second straight week in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA.
The MOOG Problem Solver Award recognizes the crew chief whose car posts the best second-half improvement in average lap speed while finishing on the lead lap. Edwards and the MOOG-equipped #99 Scotts Ortho Ford improved by a race-best 0.062-second-per-lap on Infineon’s 1.99-mile road course.
Edwards’ top-five finish extended his Sprint Cup points lead to 25 points over Kevin Harvick (#29 Chevrolet). But a top-five – or even a top-15 – finish seemed unlikely for the #99 Ford in the early going as Edwards and Osborne struggled to come up with the right setup for the challenging Infineon circuit. Osborne and the Roush Fenway Racing crew ultimately found the solution and Edwards also benefited from a caution with 22 laps remaining to move into the top five.
“Bob and Carl did what champions do – they patiently worked to get their car right and modified their strategy as opportunities opened up,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The #99 car’s MOOG steering and suspension system was in top form by the final 30 laps and Carl made a heck of a run at Kurt (race winner Kurt Busch) at the end.”
With his second straight weekly MOOG Problem Solver Award, Osborne joins Steve Letarte (#88 Chevrolet) and Gil Martin (#29 Chevrolet) in a three-way tie for first place in the battle for the season-ending MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award.
MOOG steering and suspension components are the leading choice of NASCAR crew chiefs and automotive repair professionals and have helped drive an unprecedented 45 consecutive NASCAR Cup champions to victory.
For the latest news and statistics regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards, simply click on the “NASCAR” link on the brand’s popular www.moogproblemsolver.com website. This technician-focused site also includes extensive technical information about MOOG steering and suspension components and a wide range of common chassis repair challenges. To identify the right MOOG part for virtually any application, use the convenient, free www.FMe-cat.com electronic catalog.
