BTE Sportsman Drags - Recent Successes Vault Jeg Coughlin Jr. To Top Of Power Rankings

CARTERVILLE, June 20, 2011: As the 2011 Sportsman drag racing season nears its midway point, the BTE Power Rankings on ThisIsBracketRacing.com have seen a change at the top.

As of the June 15 rankings, more than 600 sportsman competitors have earned points within the BTE Power Rankings and currently they are led by five-time NHRA World Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Coughlin, who took a break from his highly successful NHRA Pro Stock career this season, has once again proven his versatility behind the wheel of several Team JEGS sportsman machines. His 42 Power Points have all been awarded in the last month and have come in a variety of vehicles and race formats.

A trip to the west coast for the JEGS Pacific SPORTSNationals paid handsome dividends with a near double-victory, as Coughlin claimed his first NHRA Super Comp victory in addition to runner-up honors in Super Gas.

A week later, he drove his vintage ’67 Chevy II Wagon to a runner-up finish in the Door Car Shootout event at the K&N Spring Fling in Bristol, Tenn.

Just last weekend, Coughlin turned in an incredible performance by claiming three big dollar event wins in one day at the Ultimate 64 Shootout in Cleves, Ohio.

Coughlin’s total gives him a slim lead in the rankings. His closest pursuer is Texas-based Tommy Phillips, who has led the BTE Power Rankings for much of the season. Phillips has earned an NHRA National Event title, two IHRA Nitro Jam wins, and a trio of NHRA LODRS victories to bring his current power point total to 38, just four points behind Coughlin.

Jody Lang (33), Edmond Richardson (28), Peter Biondo (26), Brooke Warren (26), Anthony Trauth (25), J.P. Hickman (25), John Labbous, Jr. (25), and Wes May (25) round out the current Top 10.

The ranking program, created by the ThisIsBracketRacing.com staff, ranks Sportsman racers based upon final-round appearances in major sportsman events regardless of their class, sanction, or competition vehicle. The result is an impartial ranking system that quantifies NHRA, IHRA, big dollar brackets and more to determine the most successful sportsman drivers in the country. Past champions include NHRA stalwart Dan Fletcher (2009) and big money bracket racing great Gary Williams (2010).

At season's end, the top points earner will be crowned as the ThisIsBracketRacing.com Driver of the Year, who will receive a new Top Dragster or Top Sportsman Powerglide Transmission courtesy of Bill Taylor Enterprises in addition to a prize package from ThisIsBracketRacing.com. Additionally, each Top 10 finisher will receive prizes courtesy of ThisIsBracketRacing.com, Todd’s Extreme Paint, Auto Meter, K&N Engineering, and more. To redeem year-end prizes, top finishers must be a ThisIsBracketRacing.com member by September 1.