Jeff Gordon recovered from a qualifying mishap and a poor starting position to finish sixth in Sunday’s NASCAR Good Sam RV Insurance 500 Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. Following the contest, Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, was named Federal-Mogul’s MOOG Chassis Parts “Problem Solver of the Race” in recognition of the MOOG-equipped #24 Chevrolet’s race-best performance improvement.
The MOOG Problem Solver Award is presented following each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the largest increase in average lap speed over the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. The #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, which started 31st, overcame early handling issues to post a 0.537-second improvement at Pocono. With two wins, seven top-5 and 10 top-10 finishes, Gordon, Gustafson and team stand seventh overall in Sprint Cup points.
“Jeff and Alan brought a chassis that was similar to the one that won here in June, but the conditions were much different this time around,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “They struggled a little bit in qualifying but clearly got a lot of work done before the start. After a couple of early adjustments to their MOOG-equipped steering and suspension system, Jeff just cruised through the field.”
Gordon, who finished second at the Brickyard last week, picked up 24 positions over the first 115 laps and was running sixth when steady rain forced a 100-minute shutdown on Lap 125. The #24 car remained in the top 10 for most of the remaining 75 laps.
“Jeff loves Pocono. He’s won here five times. I’m sure he and Alan were hoping for another victory but they have to be very happy with the way the #24 car performed after qualifying near the back of the pack,” Nelson said. “This shows that problem solving performance begins the minute teams arrive at the track and continues all weekend long.”
With 15 races remaining, the battle for the season-ending MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” award remains unchanged, with crew chiefs Bob Osborne (#99 Ford), Steve Letarte (#88 Chevrolet) and Gil Martin (#29 Chevrolet) deadlocked at three wins each.
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.