Jeff Gordon crew chief Alan Gustafson earns MOOG Problem Solver honors at Sonoma

Jan. 1, 2020
Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Alan Gustafson, was named Federal-Mogul’s MOOG Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race."

Jeff Gordon picked up 38 positions after an early-race penalty to finish second and his crew chief, Alan Gustafson, was named Federal-Mogul’s MOOG® Steering and Suspension “Problem Solver of the Race” in Sunday’s Toyota – Save Mart 350 NASCAR® Sprint Cup contest at Sonoma Raceway. Gustafson is the 13th crew chief in 16 Sprint Cup starts to earn weekly MOOG Problem Solver honors.

The MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented following each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest improvement in average lap time over the second half of the race. Gordon and Gustafson’s MOOG-equipped No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS improved by a race-best 0.923-second per lap over the final 55 circuits of Sonoma’s 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course.

Gordon, a nine-time Sprint Cup road course winner, was running near the front when rain brought out the yellow flag on Lap 24. The Hendrick Motorsports-owned Chevrolet was penalized for entering the pits after the red light came on signaling that pit road was closed. Gordon was forced to restart in 39th position seven laps later. But the driver and Gustafson methodically reclaimed track position through a series of enhancements to the 24 car’s handling combined with smart pit strategy. Gordon was up to 26th within 10 laps and second by Lap 77 before briefly claiming the lead on Lap 79. He was running third on Lap 100 and was able to pass Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Chevrolet) for second place with two laps remaining.

“Alan had the 24 running the fastest laps on the track at the end,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The penalty was a huge setback, but the team stayed focused and Alan kept finding more speed in that MOOG-equipped chassis as the day went on. It was a great team effort and a clear example of MOOG Problem Solving expertise.”

With his first weekly MOOG Problem Solver award of the year, Gustafson is one of 13 crew chiefs now in the running for the $100,000 MOOG “Problem Solver of the Year Award.” He won the prestigious MOOG year-end award in 2011.

Subscribe to Motor Age and receive articles like this every month…absolutely free. Click here

Sponsored Recommendations

ZEUS+: The Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Solution for Smart, Fast, and Efficient Auto Repairs

The new ZEUS+ simplifies your diagnostic process and guides you through the right repair, avoiding unnecessary steps along the way. It gives you the software coverage, processing...

Diagnostic Pre- and Post-scan Reports are Solid Gold for Profitability

The following article highlights the significance of pre-scans and post-scans, particularly with Snap-on scan tools, showcasing their efficiency in diagnosing issues and preventing...

Unlock Precision and Certainty: TRITON-D10 Webinar Training for Advanced Vehicle Diagnostics

The TRITON-D10 lets you dig deep into the systems of a vehicle and evaluate performance with comparative data, systematically eliminating the unnecessary to provide you with only...

APOLLO-D9: Trustworthy Diagnostics for Precision Repairs

The APOLLO-D9 provides the diagnostic information and resources you need to get the job done. No more hunting through forums or endlessly searching to find the right answers. ...

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Vehicle Service Pros, create an account today!