Fennig is MOOG Problem Solver of the Race at Phoenix
March 5, 2014
Jimmy Fennig, crew chief for Carl Edwards and the MOOG® Steering and Suspension-equipped No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion, won 2014’s second MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award after the 99 car picked up 15 positions to finish eighth in Sunday’s The Profit on CNBC 500 NASCAR® Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.
Sponsored by MOOG Steering and Suspension manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corp., the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest improvement in average lap time over the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. After qualifying a disappointing 23rd, Edwards and the Roush Fenway Racing-owned Ford improved by a race-best 0.236 seconds per lap and were running in the top 10 throughout the final 156 laps at PIR.
Sunday’s race marked the debut of NASCAR’s new rules package for 1.5- and 2-mile tracks, which widens the range of chassis-related variables that can be controlled through pre-race and in-race adjustments. Fennig and the Roush Fenway crew were able to dramatically enhance the 99 car’s handling performance through precise adjustments to its MOOG-equipped steering and suspension system during the race.
“Crew chiefs have a much wider set of possibilities when tuning their cars for qualifying and race day, which makes problem-solving skills more important than ever,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The 99 team was unhappy following Friday’s qualifying, but you could see Jimmy gradually dialing in their chassis during each pit stop today. That allowed Carl to drive through a lot of traffic over the final 150 miles. Picking up 15 positions on this track is huge.”
In addition to the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award, Federal-Mogul sponsors the prestigious $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award, which is presented to the crew chief with the best overall performance throughout the 36-race season.
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