Kenny Francis, Crew Chief For Kasey Kahne And No. 5 Chevrolet, Earns MOOG 'Problem Solver' Honors At MIS

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Kenny Francis, Crew Chief For Kasey Kahne And No. 5 Chevrolet, Earns MOOG ‘Problem Solver’ Honors At MIS

Francis is the 10th different crew chief in the season's first 15 races to win MOOG Problem Solver honors. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul Motorparts will present the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award to the crew chief with the best overall performance through 36 races.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kasey Kahne and the MOOG Steering and Suspension-equipped No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, won the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award after the 5 team recovered from an early incident to post its second top-five finish of the season in Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

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Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp., the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award is presented following each NASCAR Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. The Hendrick Motorsports-owned No. 5 Chevrolet improved by a race-best 0.149 seconds per lap over the final 100 laps to finish fifth at MIS.

After battling bad luck over the season’s first 14 races, the No. 5 team seemed destined for more of the same at MIS, as Kahne spun out while trying to avoid an accident on Lap 8. The Farmers Insurance Chevrolet sustained only minor damage, but Francis and the Hendrick team spent the next 50 laps retuning the car’s MOOG-equipped steering and suspension.

Kahne slowly advanced from 31st position into the top 25. After multiple chassis adjustments and a free pass onto the lead lap following a mid-race caution, Kahne and Francis were back in business, methodically picking up track position over the final 100 laps. Kahne briefly led the race with 18 laps to go, but both driver and crew chief were satisfied with their top-five finish.

“Kasey and Kenny are thinking about one thing right now – becoming more consistent so they can put themselves in position to win a race or two and secure a position in the Chase,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Kenny and his crew had their hands full after that early spin, but they did a great job of giving Kasey a fast racecar at the end.”

Francis is the 10th different crew chief in the season’s first 15 races to win MOOG Problem Solver honors. At the end of the season, Federal-Mogul Motorparts will present the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award to the crew chief with the best overall performance through 36 races.

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

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Auto Industry

Customer Service: How It’s Done

Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
Published:

This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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