NHRA: Team JEG'S Sunday Pit Notes/Story-NHRA True Value Nationals
20 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Raceday-it's the day that all the drivers want to be a part of. Each
teams
works hard all weekend so that they can be among the elite and have a
chance
to walk away a Champion.The Maple Grove Racepark is a facility that is known for having conditions that appeal to the Pro Stock class. The track is surrounded by trees and the air is filled with oxygen, which is what the engines need to produce horsepower.
In the first round Jeg Coughlin faced off against Ron Krisher. Coughlin was the quicker qualified car and had lane choice, he took the left lane. The left lane was the better of the lanes all weekend.
The #2 JEG'S Mail Order machine took the starting line advantage. The car launched from the line and never left the center of the groove on route to the finishline. The win light came on for Coughlin and he made the quickest run of the round. Jeg said, "The team did a great job with the setup and I did my job, we have lane choice for the next round."
The second round put Jeg Coughlin and Jim Yates head-to-head, this match up is what engine builder Richard Maskin and his staff at DART Machinery live for. Maskin was Yates former engine builder. Coughlin earned lane choice with his blistering 6.891 @ 199.82 mph run, which was the quickest and fastest run of the round. Jeg took the left lane and stuffed Yates in the right lane.
Coughlin staged first and Yates waited a bit and tried to play some games on the starting line. Jim Yates threw the dice and crapped out and turned the red light on. The team got a little too aggressive in low gear. The car still followed the groove all the way down the track, it just had a hard time hooking up when it launched from the starting line.
The win light came on for Coughlin. Jeg commented, "That was an important round for us to win for the points battle. We leaned on the setup a little too hard, but thankfully we gained lane choice for the semifinal round." The semifinal round battle put Jeg Coughlin and Darrell Alderman in opposite lanes. Darrell took the advantage off of the starting line by .014 seconds, Jeg followed close behind. By the time that the yellow and black JEG'S Mail Order machine got to the 60' foot clock he was back in the lead. Darrell got crossed up and was forced to shut off and watch Jeg rocket to the finishline and the win light. Jeg noted, "We did it again as a team and the JEG'S Mail Order machine got lane choice for the final round."
The final round was a classic battle, JEG'S -vs- Summit. Jeg had lane choice and took the left lane, which he had run all day. Pawuk took the advantage off of the starting. The yellow and black JEG'S Mail Order Olds Cutlass comes on strong with the Maskin/DART Machinery horsepower. Coughlin took the win light and walks away the Champion.
Jeg said, "I can't say enough about our team, everyone in our program contributes. This win speaks very highly of our team and our capabilities. The car gave us a good baseline right out of the trailer and we fine tuned it all weekend." The win moves Jeg closer to Kurt and Warren Johnson in the NHRA Winston Championship, they are number two and one respectfully in the points. It also widens the gap between Yates and Coughlin, Jim Yates holds down number four position.
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