Steve Letarte, crew chief of the No. 24 Transformers/DuPont Chevrolet driven by Jeff Gordon, was presented the NASCAR® MOOG® “Problem Solver of the Race” Award after Gordon nearly stole a win from Hendrick Motorsports teammate and three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in the closing laps of the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Charlotte, N.C.
Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, manufacturer of MOOG chassis parts, the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented following each Sprint Cup race to the crew chief whose car delivers the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of an event while finishing on the lead lap. The No. 24 car posted a race-best .167-second increase at Lowe’s.
Letarte’s MOOG Award win – his third of 2009 – moves him into a five-way tie with crew chiefs Chad Knaus (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), Alan Gustafson (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet), Darian Grubb (No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet) and Drew Blickensderfer (No. 17 Dewalt Ford) in the battle for the prestigious season-ending MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year” Award. In the case of a tie, the annual MOOG Award will go to the crew chief whose team has accumulated the most Sprint Cup championship driver points.
“We have five races to go in what has been an incredibly tight battle for the 2009 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award,” says Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The beauty of this award is that it shines the spotlight on the guy who is making the tough calls back in the pits. And the fact that the top four teams in the Sprint Cup standings are led by the top four crew chiefs contending for the Problem Solver of the Year Award highlights the crucial role played by the crew chief in the team’s success.”
Letarte’s performance in Charlotte was a case in point: Few believed anything could derail Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet, which had captured the pole position, led all three practice sessions and was running away from the field until the final restart with 17 laps to go. With Gordon fading toward the back of the top 10, Letarte called for one last pit stop. The No. 24 exited the pits in third place and was ready to challenge Johnson. Gordon briefly captured the lead with 15 laps to go, but Johnson, whose car also is equipped with MOOG components, eventually recovered and went on to win his third of five Chase events in dominating fashion.
For additional information, visit www.moogproblemsolver.com.
