Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion overcame some tough luck on the opening lap of the Brickyard 400 to finish seventh and solidify Edwards’ position in the prospective Chase for the Sprint Cup field. Following the race, crew chief Bob Osborne was named NASCAR® MOOG® “Problem Solver of the Race” for his role in securing the team’s third consecutive top-10 Sprint Cup finish.
The MOOG Problem Solver Award, sponsored by global vehicle components manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corporation, is presented after each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. Edwards’ Roush Fenway Racing-owned Ford Fusion improved by a race-high 0.187-second per lap at Indy.
After starting in 19th position, Edwards was quickly forced into the pits to resolve spiking engine temperatures caused by a brief dive into the infield grass to avoid an opening-lap wreck. Osborne and crew quickly removed grass and other debris from the grille and determined that the car’s precisely tuned MOOG-equipped chassis had not been damaged.
Edwards quickly began to reclaim track position, advancing to 18th by lap 30 and 16th by the second round of scheduled pit stops. It was in the pits, however, where the No. 99 Ford made the most progress, picking up three spots each during its second and third scheduled stops. Edwards cracked the top 10 by lap 121.
“The No. 99 car had a great chassis setup to start the race, so Bob Osborne and his crew didn’t have to worry about making a lot of adjustments during pit stops,” says Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “It’s amazing that the car handled as well as it did after plowing through the infield. That shows how strong MOOG chassis parts really are.”
Edwards, who consistently ran in or near the top 10 over the balance of the race, said he could have made a serious run at the leaders if the race went beyond the scheduled 161 laps. “We had a car that could run top two or three, but we just never got there,” he adds.
For more information, visit www.moogproblemsolver.com.
