NHRA: John Coughlin wins first of the year and second professional win of career
25 June 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
A total of 30 Pro Stock Truck went to battle over four qualifying sessions
for the sixteen available spots on raceday. The No. 1 qualifier (7.553)
and
the No. 16 qualifier (7.646) were separated by .093 seconds. John
Coughlin
started raceday from the No. 8 position. Mike Coughlin ended up missing
the
field by .001 seconds and qualified No. 17.
John Coughlin faced off against Jeff Naiser in the first round. Naiser rolled into both stage lights before John was even five feet from the starting line beams. John took his time. Naiser got the starting line advantage and ran into traction problems. John took the win light. He ran a 7.700 at 176.28 mph.
"A win is a win," stated John. "These guys are doing a great job and have been all year. It's great to turn on the win light and get rewarded for hard work."
In the second round John faced off against Randy Daniels. Coughlin launched from the starting line first (.418 to .463). The two Chevy S-10's raced door handle to door handle all the way down the track. The win light came on for the JEG'S machine by .043 seconds at the stripe. John ran a 7.629 at 176.56 mph.
"That was a great run," said John. "Everyone did their job inside and out side the truck."
John faced off against Brian Self in the semifinal round. Self grabbed the advantage off of the starting line by .013 seconds (.442 to .455). The two raced side-by-side down the quarter mile battlefield. The men in yellow and black turned on the win light by .028 seconds at the finish line. John ran a 7.596 at 176.74 mph.
"My goal going into the semifinal round was to get lane choice," said John. "We didn't get lane choice, but the win light came on. I lost lane choice by .012 seconds."
John's appearance in the final round marked the ninth final round appearance (Jeg 6, Troy 1, Mike 1 & John 1) by a Team JEG'S driver so far this season. There have been a total of eleven NHRA national event run to date.
The final round put John Coughlin and Bob Panella, Jr. head-to-head. John and his JEG'S Chevy S-10 left the starting line first (.408 to .494). Coughlin turned on the win light winning his second career professional final round. He won on a hole shot and ran a 7.614 at 176.35 mph.
"What can I say. My brothers went out early today and I had all of Team JEG'S behind me," said John. "The guys on the team make all of this possible. They are the one's that make me look good."
Text provided by Scott Woodruff
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