Jimmy Fennig, crew chief for Matt Kenseth and the #17 Crown Royal Black Ford, was named Federal-Mogul Corporation’s MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” at Texas Motor Speedway after Kenseth nearly came all the way back from a lap down to win Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup race. Kenseth briefly captured the lead on the next-to-last lap before falling back to finish second.
The MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car delivers the largest increase in average lap speed during the second half of each Sprint Cup event while finishing on the lead lap. The #17 Ford improved by a race-high 0.185-second per lap on the 1.5-mile TMS quad-oval.
“Matt had one of the best cars in the closing laps and made an incredible rally to finish second,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “His MOOG-equipped chassis helped him reclaim dozens of positions over the second half of the race.”
Three crew chiefs are still locked in a battle for season-ending MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” honors with just two Sprint Cup races remaining. Gil Martin, crew chief for Kevin Harvick and the #29 Chevrolet, holds the lead with four weekly MOOG award wins, followed by Darian Grubb (Tony Stewart, #14 Chevrolet) and Shane Wilson (Clint Bowyer, #33 Chevrolet) with three apiece.
“I’m sure Gil knows that Darian and Shane are capable of pulling off back-to-back wins to close the season,” Nelson said. “The primary focus for each of these crew chiefs is to give their driver the best possible car at the start of each event and then make all the right calls in the pits to bring home a win.”
MOOG steering and suspension components are the leading choice of crew chiefs and automotive repair professionals. 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, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. To learn more about the Federal-Mogul “Smart Choice” campaign, simply visit www.FMSmartChoice.com.