Trevor Bayne, driver of the MOOG chassis parts-equipped #21 Ford Fusion, became the youngest driver to win stock car racing’s premier event, the Daytona 500, as his retro-themed car edged out Carl Edwards in the 208th and final lap Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. The win came just a day after Bayne’s 20th birthday and in only the second Sprint Cup start of his career.
Fittingly, Bayne’s Wood Brothers-owned Ford featured a throwback paint scheme honoring NASCAR legend David Pearson, who in 1966 became the first of 45 consecutive Cup champions to rely on MOOG steering and suspension parts. MOOG products are manufactured by Federal-Mogul Corporation, a leading global original equipment and aftermarket supplier of steering and suspension, brake, engine, sealing and other automotive and commercial vehicle components.
“Trevor really shocked the racing world, and we’re thrilled that he and the Wood Brothers team chose MOOG steering and suspension parts for their 2011 cars,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director, Federal-Mogul. “The fact that the team was honoring another NASCAR and MOOG racing legend – David Pearson – makes this win even more gratifying for our organization.”
It was Pearson who first won a NASCAR Cup championship using MOOG chassis parts. The brand’s success has continued uninterrupted through 45 straight Cup championships, including Jimmie Johnson’s record-breaking fifth straight title in 2010. The MOOG brand is known in the automotive service industry as “The Problem Solver®” due to its innovative product technologies that provide improved performance, increased reliability and easier installation.
“Our winning streak is the result of a very close relationship between the MOOG product engineering team and leading NASCAR teams,” Nelson said. “We help ensure they have steering and suspension parts that deliver the precise handling and superior durability needed to win in any race and on any NASCAR tack. These technologies ultimately become part of the MOOG products used in thousands of vehicle repair businesses across North America.”
The unique benefits of MOOG components and other Federal-Mogul products are highlighted in the company’s innovative "Smart Choice" campaign, which reinforces the message that longer lasting, better performing replacement parts are today’s best option for technicians and consumers.
For additional information regarding MOOG chassis parts, please 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.