Rodney Childers selected as NASCAR MOOG winner in Atlanta

David Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota scored their fifth top-five finish of the season and the team’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, was presented the NASCAR MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award following Sunday night’s Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Corporation, manufacturer of MOOG chassis parts, the Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented following each NASCAR Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the largest improvement in average lap speed from the first to the second half of the race while finishing in the top 10 and on the lead lap. Reutimann’s No. 00 Toyota picked up a race-best .307-second as it charged back from a 28th-place starting position to finish fourth in Atlanta.

The strong finish keeps Reutimann’s hopes mathematically alive for one of 12 spots in the season-ending 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship run-off, which begins in two weeks. Currently in 15th place in Sprint Cup points, the Aaron’s Toyota team is hoping for a victory – and some additional help from the rest of the field – during next Saturday’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond.

Reutimann’s Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota was in elite company in the closing laps at Atlanta, having picked off dozens of competitors in the final half of the race. As Reutimann lined up in third place behind Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick for the final restart with 11 laps to go, it was his push that powered Kahne on to victory.

“Rodney Childers and his crew gave David an excellent car – by far the fastest Toyota and one of the best on the track at the end of the race,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “The Aaron’s Dream Machine’s MOOG-equipped chassis offered the performance advantage David needed to make his charge over the final 100 laps. While they fell just short of a win, they were able to keep their hopes alive for the Chase.”