SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Pat Tryson, crew chief for Penske Racing’s #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger, won the NASCAR MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award for his impressive performance in the pits during last week’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul, the MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award is presented throughout the Sprint Cup Series season to the crew chief whose team posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of a race.

Tryson and crew battled tight handling and aggressive tire wear throughout the rain-shortened event to help keep Kurt Busch and the #2 Dodge among the front 15 for most of the day. Thanks in part to a combination of air pressure, track bar and wedge adjustments, the Miller Lite Dodge ran as high as sixth place in the first 30 laps and seemed a sure bet for a top-10 finish until a multi-car crash on lap 134 caused severe body damage. Following several trips to pit road for repairs and, having discovered that the car’s MOOG chassis parts had withstood the impact, Busch restarted in 29th position but quickly moved back into contention over what turned out to be the final 19 laps of racing. The race was red-flagged due to rain after 152 of the 200 scheduled laps.

“Sometimes even a short day on the track can make for a long and very challenging day for the crew,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “Pat did an outstanding job of making chassis and tire adjustments throughout the race to help keep Kurt within striking distance of the lead. Then, after the crash, he and his crew somehow got the car back into shape for a strong run over the closing laps.”