NHRA: JEG'S Pro Stock Cars Are On Opposite Sides Of The Ladder
4 October 1999
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
The final day qualifying gives all of the professional team two chances to
get into the quick sixteen or improve their qualifying position from an
earlier session. All of this assumes that the weather allows NHRA to run
down the quarter mile battle field.
Rain took over the state of Kansas last night. The NHRA staff spent the morning drying the track so that the qualifying could continue and be completed.
The JEG'S Mail Order cars have shown strength in numbers so far this weekend. Both cars have performed consistently since being taken out of the trailer, a trend which the team would like to continue through the final round tomorrow.
Troy started the second day of qualifying sitting in the number xx position and Jeg sat in the two spot. During the third qualifying session the Pro Stock team had the advantage of using data from the Pro Stock Truck team, which ran their first round of elimination's in front of the "factory hot rods."
Troy was the first of the two JEG'S Mail Order/Dart Machinery powered cars to take to the track. Troy was in the left lane. The car blasted off of the startingline and looked like a yellow rocket traveling down the track. The car never left the middle of the groove.
Troy marched up to the number three spot and was one of only two cars to run 200 Mph. Coughlin commented, "You could feel the horsepower of this car from half track on, it's a great feeling for you body forced against the seat."
Jeg Coughlin sat toward the end of the Pro Stock staging lanes lurking and wanting his chance to take the number one spot. Jeg lined up in the right lane. The yellow and black JEG'S machine took off from the startingline on the aggressive side. The car made a move to the left at 100' feet. Jeg drove the car back to the center of the groove, but the car was still upset at the 500' foot mark. With the gas peddle to the floor Coughlin drove his car, which was on the edge to the finishline.
Jeg did not improve his qualifying ET during the third session. Jeg said, "We were a little too aggressive with our setup for the third session. I think that we now know where the line is that we don't want to cross." The final session gave everyone their last chance to either improve or get into the quick sixteen. The sun went down quickly and the track temp followed, which makes it hard for the high horsepower engines to grab the track without spinning. There is a very gray area and some teams over stepped it.
Troy Coughlin was in the left lane for the final session and was three pairs from the beginning of the group. The yellow and black #24 JEG'S Mail Order machine showed the field that this car is more then ready for Raceday. Troy rocketed straight down the middl of the groove again. He ripped of an impressive 6.89, which was the quickest run of the session.
Troy did not improve his qualifying ET and stays in the number three position. This is the best qualifying effort that Troy has had this year and he intends to make the most of it. Coughlin said, "We have made solid runs all weekend. Our team, the car and I'm ready for raceday." Troy will have lane choice in the first round when he faces off against Tom Martino.
Jeg came into the final session firmly holding down the number five spot. Coughlin rolled up to the line after most of the cars had made their last runs. Jeg pulled into the left lane for his last attempt to improve. The JEG'S machine launched from the line and took off down the groove. The car lost traction down track and started to move close to the center stripe. Jeg pushed the clutch peddle in and coasted to the big end.
Coughlin stayed in the number five position and will go head-to-head with George Marnell in the first round, Jeg has lane choice. Jeg noted, "It a great feeling to have both of our cars qualified in the top five. This shows how talented the our team is and how strong that our programs is."
The Coughlin brothers will begin tomorrow on opposite sides of the Pro Stock ladder, which gives the team the opportunity to have an all-JEG'S final. Team advisor and father stated, "Our goal at every NHRA event is for our two car to meet in the final round. It's a win-win situation for our team, JEG'S Mail Order and my family."
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