Jeg Coughlin Jr. carves out big share of $525k prize with semifinal finish at SFG 500
MARTIN, Mich. (June 30) — Six-time NHRA world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. took on a massive field of 700-plus talented bracket racers in Saturday’s $525,000-to-win main event at US 131 Motorsports Park and came away as a final-four finisher in his JEGS.com Chevy II wagon.

The challenge was the highlight of four high-dollar bracket races contested between Wednesday and Saturday at “the Fastest Track in Michigan,” and was attended by numerous NHRA professionals along with most of the top sportsman drag racers in the world.

“What an incredible event,” Coughlin said. “I’m pretty much exhausted at this point but personally very, very proud to have made it through nine rounds of some of the toughest racing ever to finish in the semifinals. It was very satisfying to be a part of what, as far as I know, was the largest single payout in drag racing history.

“With so many cars entered, just the first round each day would take six hours or so. With buy-backs the second rounds weren’t much shorter, and you go from there. It made for very long days and very short nights every day of the event. I know I started the $525K race at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and made my last pass in the semifinals around 4:30 a.m., Sunday morning.”

Each day of the SFG 500 paid out large cash prizes, beginning Wednesday with a $20k-to-win opener, followed by two $50k-to-win races on Thursday and Friday. Coughlin raced both his JEGS.com dragster and the Chevy II wagon the first two days but opted to park the dragster and use only his wagon Friday and Saturday.