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Team JEGS / Pre-race Notes JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals


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Delaware, Sept. 22. 2010: There will be a total of eight JEGS Mail Order entries in competition this weekend at the JEGS SPORTSnationals. John Coughlin will race in Comp and Top Dragster while his brother Mike plans to compete in Top Sportsman and nephew Troy Jr. will be racing in Super Comp. In addition, there will be four Jr. Dragsters in action driven by third-generation racers Cody, Jack, and Paige Coughlin and their cousin, Makenna Brown.

Continuing a longstanding tradition, veteran JEGS Mail Order associate and NHRA racer Larry Nelson has been selected to serve as the grand marshal of the sixth annual JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals,

With three wins and a runner-up, Mike Coughlin is the most successful racer in the history of the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals. He won the Top Sportsman titles in 2009, 2007 and 2006, and was a runner-up in Super Comp at the inaugural event in 2005.

All told, the Coughlin brothers, Troy, John, Mike and Jeg Jr., have combined to win 11 national events at National Trail Raceway, the team’s longtime home track. They have also tallied five runner-up finishes here.

The coveted JEGS Crown trophy will once again be up for grabs at this weekend’s event. The JEGS Crown is a handcrafted trophy that can only be won by winning two of the three JEGS SPORTSnationals events in a calendar year. The winners of the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La., and the JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif., are in the running for the trophy this year.

Since its inception, the JEGS Crown has been awarded just once, to Pro Mod competitor Mike Ashley, who won the Pro Mod class in Belle Rose and Columbus in 2005.

In the first five years of the event, three women have earned titles at the Northern SPORTSnationals. Lynn Hoosigian won the Super Street title in 2007. Katie Sepanek claimed a victory in Stock in 2008 and Mary Meints won the Stock title in 2009.

Thus far, the only driver to score a double win at the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals is Peter Biondo, who earned both the Super Stock and Stock titles at the 2005 race.

In addition to Biondo, and Mike Coughlin, the only other driver with multiple titles at this event is Jeff Taylor, who claimed the title in Comp Eliminator in 2005 and 2008.

The list of NHRA national champions who are also former winners of the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals includes Biondo, Taylor, Ray Connolly, Bo Butner, Chuck Gallagher, and Sherman Adcock Jr.