Team JEGS Pre-race Notes: NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals

Team JEGS Pre-race Notes:
NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals
Indianapolis (August 29 – September 3)
The JEGS Mail Order team will be well represented at this weekend’s Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals by Jeg Coughlin Jr., Troy Coughlin, and Troy Coughlin Jr.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. is once again racing as a teammate to two-time world champ Erica Enders. The Elite team also includes Pro Stock racers Vincent Nobile and Alex Laughlin. Jeg Jr.’s crew chief is multi-talented Rickie Jones, who has extensive experience as a driver, chassis builder, and tuner. The Elite team also includes crew chiefs Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll and Brian “Lump” Self, who regularly share data.

Troy will be competing in the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod series while his son, Troy Jr., will pull double duty in Top Alcohol Dragster and Super Comp.

Jeg Coughlin Jr: (Pro Stock)

After 17 of 24 events, Jeg Jr. enters this week’s event at the No. 5 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class.

Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different including Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis. The only current stops on the on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won are the events in Epping, N.H, and Norwalk, Ohio.

So far this season, Jeg Jr. has recorded Pro Stock wins in Chicago, Bristol, and Sonoma. He has also earned the Super Comp title in Richmond, Va.

Jeg Jr. has three career Pro Stock victories at Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis, having won there in 2000, 2002, and 2009. Jeg Jr. defeated Ron Krisher in the 2000 final and stopped Jim Yates in 2002 and Greg Stanfield in 2009.

In 18 career appearances at Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis, Jeg Jr. has a round win record of 23-14 in Pro Stock competition, making it one of his most successful tracks.

As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the Super Gas title in Indy in 1992, beating Sherman Adcock Jr. in the final round. Jeg Jr. also won the prestigious Mopar Hemi Challenge at Indy in 2004, driving Michael Ogburn’s West Coast Hemi’s Barracuda to a final round win over Rick Houser.

Jeg Jr. has already clinched his spot in the Countdown to the Championship meaning he will finish in the top ten in Pro Stock for the 18th time in his career.

Jeg Jr. is a five-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion. He earned season titles in 2000, 2002, 2007-2008 and 2013. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the NHRA Super Gas championship in 1992.

Jeg Jr. is NHRA’s all-time leader in holeshot victories with 102.

During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 422 events and has a round-win record of 630-344. He has red-lighted just 23 times and failed to qualify just 16 times.

Jeg Jr. has won 61 Pro Stock races in 105 final round appearances. Including his 19 sportsman wins, Jeg has 80 wins in 130 finals.

As a sportsman racer, Jeg Jr. has won 19 times in six different classes; Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Top Dragster.

Troy Coughlin: (Pro Mod)

Three-time and defending champion Troy Coughlin will continue his comeback to the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod series. Troy will be wheeling a turbocharged Mustang that is tuned by Steve Petty and powered by engines from Proline Racing.

Troy made his return to the class in Richmond, and also competed in the events in Bristol and Norwalk.

Having run over 260 mph in last year’s Corvette, Troy is one of the fastest drivers in the Pro Mod class. He has also recorded a personal best elapsed time of 5.766-seconds.

Last year, Troy was one of just four Pro Mod racers, along with Michael Biehle, Steven Whiteley, and Rickie Smith, who qualified for all 10 events. In 2015-16, Coughlin is the only driver to qualify for all 20 races.

Troy won his first NHRA national event title at the U.S. Nationals in 1991 when he drove his Pro Stock-style Olds to the win in Super Gas. Troy defeated Mary Ann Jackson in the final. Troy’s first Pro Mod victory came at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey in 2005 when as he drove his supercharged Mustang to as win over Zack Barkledge in the final round.

Troy is one of the few Pro Mod competitors who have raced all three current engine combinations; turbocharged, supercharged, and nitrous oxide-assisted.

Before moving to the Pro Mod class, Troy enjoyed success in the NHRA Pro Stock class, recording two wins in 12 final round appearances. He also won the $50,000 top prize at the 2000 Winston No Bull Showdown at Bristol Dragway, a special non-points event for Pro Stock competitors.

All told, Troy has 15 NHRA national event wins in Pro Mod, Pro Stock and Super Gas competition.

Troy is a former National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Pro Street champion. While racing his Pro Street car, he also won the $50,000 Big Dog event at Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, N.C.

Troy Coughlin Jr: (Top Alcohol Dragster & Super Comp)

Troy Jr. is a five-time NHRA national event winner and the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major event. Troy Jr. won the U.S. Nationals in Super Comp in 2010 and also won the Indy Super Gas title in 2014. His other wins have come in Las Vegas (2009), Gainesville (2013), and Columbus (2014).

This year, Troy Jr. began racing in the Top Alcohol Dragster class and he won his first Top Alcohol Dragster race when he drove his Rich McPhillips-owned dragster to the win at the NHRA Regional event in Norwalk. He has since claimed additions wins in Cecil County, Md., and last weekend’s event in Bowling Green, Ky.

Troy Jr. was the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion.

In addition to his success in NHRA events, Troy Jr. also is regarded as one of the sport’s best E.T. bracket racers. He has accumulated several major victories including a $25,000 payday at the Atco Dragway Superbucks event and a $10,000 win the Spring Buck Blast at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Two weeks ago, he won a $20,000 race at the Powerball of Bracket Racing event in Darlington, S.C.

The Coughlin family, including brothers Troy, John, Mike, Jeg Jr., and third-generation racer Troy Jr., have combined to win nine U.S. Nationals title.

Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 120 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin’s have won in ten different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.

Team JEGS – By the Numbers (Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Edition)

4: National event wins for Jeg Coughlin Jr. this season (three in Pro Stock and one in Super Comp).

7: Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title (the only driver in history to do so)

9: Indy wins for the Coughlin family in four classes (Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, Super Gas).

10: Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory

17: Top-10 finishes for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class since 1998

120: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family