Team JEGS racers hungry for hometown
success at 17th annual Buckeye Nationals
COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 30) — The thrill of competing in front of a hometown crowd filled with family, friends and fellow associates of JEGS High Performance awaits Team JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Paige Coughlin at this weekend’s 17th annual NHRA Buckeye Nationals.

The group will contest both the Top Dragster and Super Comp categories at the event, which is the first regional race of the year on the North Central Division schedule.

Mike Coughlin has 26 career
wins in a variety of classes
“I’m searching for a run of good luck and I can’t think of a better place to start that than National Trail,” said Mike, who will be racing his JEGS.com-branded Top Dragster. “This is actually our third race of the year and our car has been great. We just haven’t had any luck. That’s not for lack of effort or talent. Everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing and the dragster is very fast and consistent.

“I made my first ever passes at National Trail and I’ve definitely been down that quarter-mile more than any other one in the world. We were just there a week ago for the track’s first race of the season and Jay Livingston (track owner) and his staff have done so much to improve the facility. My son Clay was racing his Junior Dragster and everything looked great. I’m excited to get started myself and look forward to racing with my niece and nephew.”

Mike is assisted by longtime Team JEGS crewmen Justin Beaver, Greg Cody, Tony Collier, Ryan Micke and Dave Rourke. Beaver and Collier also help Troy Jr. and Paige in their Super Comp dragsters.

Regional Top Alcohol Dragster champion Troy Jr. will step away from his regular ride — the JEGS.com McPhillips Racing TAD — to compete this weekend. Troy Jr. has earned six national and six divisional victories in his career, including the 2014 JEGS SPORTSnationals Super Gas title at National Trail Raceway.

“There’s no place like home and racing with some of my family members brings up tons of wonderful childhood memories for me, especially at National Trails,” Troy Jr. said. “I am really excited at what Jay and his staff have in the works for the facility. I know there are lots of great things coming.

“It’s an extra big weekend for me personally because my wife Brenna is graduating from nursing school Saturday so I’ll be really busy between the races and her ceremony. She’s worked so hard at getting her BSN. I’m very proud of her and looking forward to celebrating this accomplishment with her.”

Paige hasn’t driven her JEGS.com Super Comp dragster since starting her collegiate career at the University of Miami-Ohio last August, but says a recent test session at National Trail Raceway helped get her back into competition mode.

“I don’t feel too nervous yet but it’s only Monday,” Paige said. “I know the car is ready to go and it looks awesome. I’m pretty excited to be coming back because I haven’t competed in a race since last August.

“We had a great day of testing last Wednesday at NTR and Justin and Tony were super happy with everything. They changed some things on the car over the winter to make it more consistent and it ran really well so we’re all excited to get back to real racing. We have lots of plans for the summer race season and it all starts now.”

A double-major studying psychology and strategic communications, Paige is the third child of three-time Pro Mod world champion Troy Coughlin and his wife Julie, the younger sister of Troy Coughlin Jr. and the niece of Mike Coughlin.

Six-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. returns to first love at K&N Spring Fling in Galot
BENSON, N.C. (April 29) — Long before he was winning world championships in NHRA competition, Jeg Coughlin Jr. was lining up against the toughest drag racers in the world at various high-dollar bracket races around the country. The six-time world champ returns to those roots this week at Kyle Seipel and Peter Biondo’s renowned K&N Spring Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Galot Motorsports Park.

Coughlin, who has 81 NHRA national event wins, will be racing a JEGS.com-branded dragster and his popular JEGS.com Chevy II wagon at the event. He’ll be joined by his talented wife Samantha Coughlin, who will race her own JEGS.com dragster.

“We’re eager and very excited to start racing,” Jeg Jr. said. “The last time I had the chance to bracket race was in 2016 so it’s been a little while. I’m thinking this has been the longest stretch of my driving career where I haven’t bracket raced somewhere so it’s a real thrill to be gearing up for this week.

“Peter and Kyle are longtime friends and they’ve done such a great job putting together all of these big ‘Fling’ races. I’ve spent a lot more time keeping up with them on the Internet then competing in them myself but this one I’m going to experience first-hand. If there’s a blessing to the NHRA trimming the Pro Stock schedule back a few races, being able to attend events like this definitely makes it worthwhile.”

Aside from his jaw-dropping NHRA resume, Coughlin has two dozen wins at specialty events like this one, including the 2015 Spring Fling, so he’s certainly no stranger to the extremely competitive racing that occurs at these high-profile events.

“Without question, all of the big hitters in our sport will be there,” Coughlin said. “I certainly picked a tough one to renew my vows, as it were, in the bracket racing world, but I’m going in with a big smile on my face.

“This style of event is the purest and most challenging form of drag racing you can get. I’ve been bracket racing since the ’80s when I first started driving and I compare success at events like this to be every bit as prestigious as a national event win. I’m proud to be a part of it all and for JEGS to be one of the sponsors. We’re all ready to get after it and have some fun.”

JEGS is supporting the $20K-to-win main event on “JEGS Thursday” and the live audio/video racecast for the entire event, which will be broadcast by MotorManiaTV.com.

“I’ve actually never been to Galot Motorsports Park before but I’ve seen pictures and heard a bunch of great things about the facility,” Coughlin said. “I am excited to hit the throttle!”