Two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart secured his first win of the year and the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet’s crew chief, Darian Grubb, was selected as the NASCAR MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” in Sunday’s Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of the event while finishing on the lead lap. Stewart and the #14 Chevrolet posted a 0.595-second-per-lap improvement on Atlanta’s 1.54-mile quad-oval track.
Stewart’s win came in convincing fashion, with the #14 car’s MOOG-equipped chassis delivering what the driver described as the best handling he has experienced all year. The driver used this advantage to capture the lead after a restart on lap 301 and then power away from the field. He beat Carl Edwards to the checkered flag by 1.316 seconds.
The victory clinched Stewart’s spot in the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship finale, which begins in two weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Grubb’s MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is his second of the year, putting him in a four-way tie for second place in the battle for the season-ending MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award. Shane Wilson, crew chief of the #33 Chevrolet driven by Clint Bowyer, leads the pack with three MOOG Award wins in 2010.
“We’ve got seven crew chiefs with a legitimate shot at MOOG Problem Solver of the Year honors,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “This is one of the most challenging and prestigious awards in Cup racing because there are so many variables at play, both in the pits and on the track, during every race. The only constant is the fact that each of these crew chiefs and drivers has chosen MOOG chassis parts for their car.”
MOOG 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, please 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.
