Jeg Coughlin feeling fortunate to be in provisional Memphis field (NHRA/JEG'S)

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
NHRA O'Reilly Mid-South  Nationals  
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis, TN
August  19st  

NHRA - Pro Stock
Jeg Coughlin - JEG'S Mail Order / Mopar - Dodge  Stratus RT 
Friday Summary
 
Jeg Coughlin feeling fortunate to be in provisional  Memphis field

Two-time Memphis winner Jeg Coughlin was  limited to just one qualifying pass 
Friday during an excessively hot opening day  of professional qualifying for 
the 18th annual O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South  Nationals, but he made his mark 
anyways, posting a quick 6.846 at 201.61 mph to  secure the No. 13 position in the 
provisional field.

Coughlin was forced  to surrender his opening pass after he noticed he had no 
oil pressure during his  burnout. Rather than risk any damage to his Bob 
Glidden-tuned powerplant, he  simply clicked the motor off and was pushed off the 
track by his  crew.

"You never want to lose the first round of qualifying," Coughlin  said. 
"Fortunately, having a two-car team with identical hot rods, we were able  to go 
over to my teammate Richie Stevens and look at his computer to figure out  of to 
tune our car for the second session. It was still a bit of a crap shoot  
because no two cars are the same, but it certainly helped. It's just another way  
that having a teammate helps you."

Entering the slightly cooler evening  session with borrowed data, Coughlin 
and his Jeg's Mail Order Dodge Stratus R/T  crew rose to the occasion with the 
13th quickest pass of the day. It wasn't  exactly what the team was hoping for 
but considering their start, the yellow and  black crew was happy with the 
effort.

"We were able to get close to  giving the car what it needed," Coughlin said. 
"At least we got a decent  baseline. The blessing at this event is that we 
have two qualifying sessions  under the lights so we have a rare chance to 
redeem ourselves. We'll be ready to  get after it tomorrow. The goal is to improve 
within the pack and I know we have  the car that can do just that."

Because of the heat, this entire race  will be run in the afternoon and 
evening hours. Saturday's qualifying sessions  are scheduled to begin at 3:30 and 6 
p.m.