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Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 FedEx Toyota team charged back from deep in the field to finish third in Sunday’s “Crown Royal presents, The John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard” NASCAR^® Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Following the race, Hamlin’s crew chief, Darian Grubb, received MOOG^® Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” honors based on the 11 car’s race-best improvement over the final 80 laps.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the weekly MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest positive differential in average lap time over the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. The Joe Gibbs Racing-owned Toyota was 0.132-seconds-per-lap faster over the final segment at the Brickyard. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul Motorparts will present the $100,000 MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award to the crew chief with the most weekly MOOG wins.

Hamlin, who started 27^th, knew almost immediately that Grubb and the Gibbs Racing crew had given him a near-perfect setup for Sunday’s track conditions. With 70 laps to go, the 11 car appeared to have a clear advantage in speed and strategy as Grubb called for what he expected to be the car’s next-to-last pit stop. But a fueling malfunction necessitated a repeat stop under caution just eight laps later, which put the 11 car back on the same fueling cycle as the rest of the leaders.

“That was a great strategy by Darian because even if it didn’t work out, he had a car that was fast enough to make up any lost ground,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Those guys just never gave up. Earning a top-five finish and MOOG Problem Solver honors is an excellent way to leave Indy. The only better ending would have been a trip to the winner’s circle.”

Hamlin’s strong finish was good for a one-position bump to 11^th in Chase for the Sprint Cup points. The 11 team has one win, five top-fives and eight top-10s after 20 races.

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

The last of several cloudbursts left Brian Vickers disappointed on pit road as Sunday’s rain-delayed Coke Zero 400 NASCAR^® Sprint Cup race was cut short after 112 laps. However, Vickers’ runner-up finish on the rain-slickened Daytona International Speedway did help crew chief Billy Scott win his first MOOG^® Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” Award.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the weekly MOOG Problem Solver award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest positive differential in average lap time over the second half of a Sprint Cup race while finishing on the lead lap. Vickers and the MOOG-equipped No. 55 Aaron’s/Florida State University Dream Machine Toyota improved by a race-best 0.608 seconds per lap at Daytona.

After starting 30^th, Vickers picked up 17 positions during the first green flag run before he and Scott decided to fall back to avoid one of Daytona’s “big ones.” That turned out to be a smart move, as 16 cars tangled just a few laps later. The 55 team chose to stay the course – avoiding three-wide racing – over the balance of the afternoon, a strategy that paid dividends once again following a 26-car pileup on Lap 98. After the debris was cleared, Vickers was running second to Aric Almirola and the MOOG-equipped No. 43 Ford when the race was red-flagged for the final time due to rain.

“This was an extremely challenging weekend, as most drivers and crew chiefs were never able to get a feel for the racetrack due to changing conditions,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Billy and Brian had exactly the right strategy – stay out of trouble early and let the opportunities come to you.  If it hadn’t started raining again, they might have ended up on victory lane.”

In addition to the weekly MOOG Problem Solver award, Federal-Mogul Motorparts 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 Sprint Cup season. Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, is the leader through 18 events with three weekly MOOG award wins.

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.comwebsite or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

They qualified a distant 29^th and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted he has yet to feel comfortable racing at Kentucky Speedway, but the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet team – led by crew chief Steve Letarte – pulled out all the stops to earn their Sprint Cup Series-leading ninth top-five finish in Saturday night’s NASCAR^® Quaker State 400. Following the race, Letarte was named Federal-Mogul Motorparts’ MOOG^® Steering and Suspension Problem Solver of the Race for the third time this season.

The weekly MOOG Problem Solver award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. Letarte’s third weekly Problem Solver award, based on the 88 car’s race-best 0.295-second-per-lap improvement at Kentucky, gives him a one-win lead in the season-long battle for the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award.

After struggling in qualifying and both practice sessions, Earnhardt gave all the credit for Saturday’s finish to Letarte and the Hendrick Motorsports crew, who worked throughout Friday night and all day Saturday to improve the 88 car’s performance. Those extra hours paid almost immediate dividends Saturday night as Earnhardt drove the MOOG-equipped Chevrolet SS into the top 10 within the first 35 laps. While the 88 was vastly improved, Letarte’s smart fuel and tire strategies played equally important roles in helping Earnhardt pick up more than a dozen positions in the early going. The Hendrick Motorsports crew was stout as well, delivering a succession of flawless stops that improved the 88 car’s running position.

“Steve would be the first to say that everyone on that team deserves a share of this MOOG Problem Solver win,” said Tim Nelson, director of motorsports for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Dale says he’s still trying to figure out how to race here, but he did a great job tonight. And the Hendrick crew demonstrated brilliant execution on pit road. They put all the pieces together on a track where the odds seemed to be stacked up against them just 24 hours earlier.”

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.comwebsite or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

They didn’t get the win they were hoping for, but road course specialist Marcos Ambrose and the No. 9 Stanley Ford Fusion team didn’t leave Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway empty-handed, as crew chief Drew Blickensderfer received the MOOG^® Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” Award following Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR^® Sprint Cup event. The No. 9 car finished eighth after starting well back in the field and encountering early handling issues.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the weekly MOOG Problem Solver award is presented to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. Federal-Mogul Motorparts also sponsors the $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.

Ambrose, whose two career Sprint Cup victories have come on road courses, was hoping to position himself for a spot in the year-end Chase with his first-ever win at Sonoma. However, the driver battled intermittent handling issues over the first 50 laps as Blickensderfer and the Richard Petty Motorsports crew dialed in the car’s MOOG-equipped steering and suspension system. By mid-race, Ambrose had advanced into the top 15 and he briefly led the field with 30 laps remaining. The No. 9 Fusion posted a race-best improvement of 0.538 seconds per lap over the final 55 laps.

“The biggest challenge for drivers out there today was striking the right balance between horsepower and tire life,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Once the 9 team found that balance and Drew fine-tuned their MOOG-equipped chassis, they were back in the mix and had a shot at a top five finish.”

The recipient of the 2009 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award, Blickensderfer is the 11^th different crew chief to win weekly MOOG honors in the year’s first 16 events.

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.comwebsite or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kasey Kahne and the MOOG^® Steering and Suspension-equipped No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, won the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award after the 5 team recovered from an early incident to post its second top-five finish of the season in Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented following each NASCAR^® Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. The Hendrick Motorsports-owned No. 5 Chevrolet improved by a race-best 0.149 seconds per lap over the final 100 laps to finish fifth at MIS.

After battling bad luck over the season’s first 14 races, the No. 5 team seemed destined for more of the same at MIS, as Kahne spun out while trying to avoid an accident on Lap 8. The Farmers Insurance Chevrolet sustained only minor damage, but Francis and the Hendrick team spent the next 50 laps retuning the car’s MOOG-equipped steering and suspension.

Kahne slowly advanced from 31^st position into the top 25. After multiple chassis adjustments and a free pass onto the lead lap following a mid-race caution, Kahne and Francis were back in business, methodically picking up track position over the final 100 laps. Kahne briefly led the race with 18 laps to go, but both driver and crew chief were satisfied with their top-five finish.

“Kasey and Kenny are thinking about one thing right now – becoming more consistent so they can put themselves in position to win a race or two and secure a position in the Chase,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Kenny and his crew had their hands full after that early spin, but they did a great job of giving Kasey a fast racecar at the end.”

Francis is the 10^th different crew chief in the season’s first 15 races to win MOOG Problem Solver honors. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul Motorparts will present the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award to the crew chief with the best overall performance through 36 races.

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.comwebsite or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.