Team JEGS Pre-race Notes
NHRA Norwalk Nationals
Team JEGS
Pre-race Notes
NHRA Norwalk Nationals
Norwalk, Ohio (June 21-23)

The JEGS Mail Order team will be represented at this weekend’s event in Norwalk, Ohio, by Jeg Coughlin Jr., who will be competing in the Pro Stock class, and his nephew, Troy Coughlin Jr., who is racing in the Top Alcohol Dragster class with his JEGS.com dragster.

Jeg Jr. is continuing his pursuit of a sixth NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock title (and seventh overall) at this weekend’s Norwalk event. Jeg Jr. will be racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team. His Camaro will carry the logo of Universal Parks and Resorts with the goal of helping to promote the popular theme parks in Hollywood, Calif., and Orlando, Fla.

Earlier this year in Phoenix, Jeg won his 62nd Pro Stock event and 81st overall when he defeated Matt Hartford. The final round represented the 1,000th round of professional competition for Jeg Jr.

Last season, Jeg Jr. finished as the No. 2-ranked driver in the Pro Stock class. He finished in the top 10 for the 18th time in his pro career, which began in 1997.

Jeg Jr. races as a teammate to two-time world champ Erica Enders. The Elite team also includes Pro Stock racers Alex Laughlin and Rodger Brogdon. 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.

After the first six events of the season, Jeg Jr. enters this week’s event at the No. 8-ranked driver in the Pro Stock class.

Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different facilities but has yet to win a national event in Norwalk. The only other stop on the on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won a race is New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

In nine career appearances in Norwalk, Jeg Jr. has a round win record of 10-10 in Pro Stock competition.

At last year’s Norwalk event, Jeg Jr. qualified No. 1 in the Pro Stock field. He was also the low qualifier in Norwalk in 2012. In his career, Jeg Jr. has been the top qualifier in Pro Stock 29 times.

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 the only driver to win national event titles in seven different categories. He has won in Pro Stock, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Top Dragster.

Jeg Jr. is the only professional racer in history to win a national event from all 16 starting spots. During his Indy win in 2000, Jeg Jr. qualified No. 16.

With 62 Pro Stock wins in his career, Jeg Jr. ranks fourth all-time among Pro Stock drivers. Only Warren Johnson (97), Greg Anderson (91) and the late Bob Glidden (85) and have more titles.

In 435 career Pro Stock races, Jeg Jr. has reached the final round 108 times, recording 62 wins. Including his 19 sportsman victories, Jeg Jr. has won a total of 81 times, good for ninth place on NHRA’s all-time list. During his career, Jeg Jr. has appeared in 133 final rounds, 108 as a professional and 25 as a sportsman racer.

During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 435 events and has a round-win record of 649-357. He has failed to qualify just 16 times.

Troy Jr. is a six-time NHRA national event winner and the first of the third-generation of Coughlins 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), Columbus (2014) and Reading (2018).

This weekend in Norwalk, Troy Jr’s dragster will carry the JEGS Garage Gear logo in addition to its familiar yellow and black JEGS.com colors.

Troy Jr. was crowned the 2018 North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion and finished the season as the No. 4 ranked driver in the country. He also was crowned the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion.

In his most recent appearance at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals in Topeka, Kan., Troy Jr. reached the final round where he lost to Shawn Cowie. So far this season, Troy has appeared in three final rounds including the national events in Topeka and Houston, and the Northeast Region event at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.

During his successful rookie season (2018) in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, Troy Jr. won four races and appeared in six final rounds. He won his first race when he drove his Rich McPhillips-owned dragster to the win at the NHRA Regional event in Norwalk. He later claimed additional regional wins in Cecil County, Md., and Bowling Green, Ky.

In 2018, Troy Jr. also won the national event in Reading, Pa. He recorded runner-up finishes at the Norwalk national event and the Regional event in Indianapolis.

During his career, the versatile Troy Jr. has raced in Top Fuel, Top Alcohol Dragster, Pro Mod, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Dragster, E.T. Brackets, and Jr. Dragsters.

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. He also won a $20,000 race at the Powerball of Bracket Racing event in Darlington, S.C.

Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 122 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin’s have won in 11 different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Dragster, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.

Team JEGS – By the Numbers (Norwalk Nationals edition)

2: NHRA Division championship for Troy Coughlin Jr.

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

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

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

122: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family