NHRA: Jeg's cars are ready to win in hometown

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

June 11, 2001

Racing at your hometown track can bring out the best in you. That is exactly what Jeg and Troy Coughlin are looking forward to when Team Jeg's rolls into National Trail Raceway for the annual 37th NHRA Pontiac Excitement Nationals.

The Coughlin family has a long-standing tradition of winning in a variety of different classes at National Trail Raceway. Each of the Coughlin brothers has made their license runs at the track in every class that they have competed in.

Jeg Coughlin Jr enters the 11th race of the season ready to strike from the No. 4 position in the NHRA Winston Championship points. The reigning NHRA Pro Stock Champion has 583 points. He is 80 points from reclaiming the top spot and Team Jeg's intends to use their home court advantage when the factory hot rods roll onto the quartermile battlefield.

"Racing in your hometown can put a lot of pressure on you if you let it. On the other side on the coin, the stands are filled with fans that would like nothing more then to see you win. It is very gratifying to have the 350 plus associates of Jeg's, family, friends and race fans of Central Ohio cheering you on. There is a lot of excitement that surrounds The Pontiac Excitement Nationals and it makes you want to win even more," explained Jeg.

Troy Coughlin will be playing double duty this weekend. Troy will be racing in Pro Stock and will also compete in Super Gas. He will debut his Chevrolet Corvette Roadster in Super Gas. He is currently resting in the No. 20 spot with 229 points in Pro Stock. Troy has qualified for the last two races and looks at his recent resurgence as an opportunity to claim his first professional NHRA national event in front of the hometown crowd.

"I feel like we have really made a lot of progress as a team lately. We have taken some big steps forward in getting the consistency back in my Jeg's Chevy Cavalier. We made some of the best and most consistent runs that we have made on my car since we took delivery of the Bickel built car earlier this year," said Troy with a smile.

"Adding Super Gas to my performance plate is something that I am really looking forward to. It may sound like a lot of extra work, but I believe that it will improve my driving and confidence level throughout the weekend. The decision to run a Super Gas car was made for a lot of different reason. The biggest reason is to help my children (Meghan, Troy Jr and Paige) learn about racing first hand the way that my father taught us," commented Troy.

Text provided by Scott Woodruff

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