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CRA All Stars - Berlin Raceway Unkind To Rookie Coughlin


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MARNE, Sept. 12, 2011: JEGS Chevrolet driver Cody Coughlin endured a rough night in Saturday's Berlin 100 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race at Berlin Raceway.

Coughlin, coming off a spate of solid performances on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, ended his race early with serious handling problems.

"The car wasn't very fast in practice in either session," Coughlin said. "It was really, really tight both times, just as it was the day before when we tested. I think we may have over-adjusted.

"When race time came, it was extremely loose. It was so loose, I couldn't even drive it. Something might have gone wrong with the suspension. I'm not sure. But it was so loose I couldn't even finish the race."

Coughlin, the leader in the Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award standings, came into the race with four consecutive top-10 finishes and two top-fives in his last three races. But in testing at the 7/16ths-mile track on Friday and again in the two practices Saturday, Coughlin and the JEGS team fought a mysterious handling problem.

The crew made adjustments, but when Coughlin started the race from the 19th position, the JEGS Chevrolet was still handling poorly. Coughlin could barely control the No. 1 Chevrolet, and he fell off the lead lap. The smart move was to park it before Coughlin crashed the car.

"It's frustrating because I had pretty high expectations," Coughlin said. "I was hoping for another top-five finish, so I'm pretty disappointed. But that stuff happens to the best of them."

Coughlin and his family will next appear at a race track Sept. 24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Loudon, N.H., to watch Kevin Harvick drive the JEGS.com sponsored Chevrolet in the Camping World Truck Series race.

Coughlin and the JEGS Chevrolet team return to action Oct. 1-2 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.

"My faith and my family are the two most important things in my life," Coughlin said. "Saturday was a tough race for us, but to have my family support me no matter what helps ease the disappointment, for sure."