Kasey Kahne Crew Chief Kenny Francis Wins NASCAR Moog ‘Problem Solver’ Award

Kasey Kahne’s aggressive climb up the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings continued Sunday with a top-five finish in the Food City 500 in Bristol, Tenn. Kahne’s crew chief, Kenny Francis, received the NASCAR Moog “Problem Solver of the Race” Award for his role in the team’s success at Bristol Motor Speedway. Francis is the fifth Sprint Cup crew chief in five 2009 events to win the Moog award.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, manufacturer of Moog chassis parts, the NASCAR Moog Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented to the Sprint Cup crew chief whose team posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of a race. Kahne, Francis and the #9 Budweiser Dodge picked up a race-best .014-second in average lap speed in Sunday’s event, powering the Richard Petty Motorsports team to its best finish of the year.

“The guys did a great job in the pits,” Kahne told the Charlotte Observer following the race. “The last two weeks, everybody…has done an awesome job and we’ve made some nice gains.”

Kahne, Francis and the #9 team have steadily improved their performance during each of the first five 2009 Sprint Cup events, finishing just 29th at Daytona before rising to 12th place in Fontana, 11th in Las Vegas, 7th in Atlanta, and 5th in Bristol. The team picked up three positions to sixth place overall in Sprint Cup points during Sunday’s race.

Federal-Mogul’s Moog steering and suspension components play key roles in delivering the consistent, precise steering response and handling needed to win a Sprint Cup race. In fact, every NASCAR Cup champion since 1966 has driven to victory using Moog components. Featuring innovative, problem-solving designs, Moog products are preferred not only by racing professionals, but also by thousands of automotive technicians around the world.

For additional information regarding Moog steering and suspension products, please visit the brand’s new technician-focused Web site, www.moogproblemsolver.com, or contact your Moog supplier.