Jeg Coughlin copes with Atlanta heat (NHRA/JEG'S)

 
Jeg Coughlin and his Jeg's Mail Order Dodge Stratus R/T race crew fought  
through the hottest day of the race season and successfully qualified for the  
provisional field of the 25th annual Southern Nationals in the No. 14 position  
with a 6.800-second pass at 203.34 mph. Coughlin's pass, posted in the 
slightly  cooler evening round, was a marked improvement over his opening run of 
6.853 at  202.94 mph, yet he still dropped one place on the qualifying ladder.
 
"We have some room to improve," Coughlin said. "But that was a pretty clean  
run down through there in the second session. Looking at the data, it appears  
small adjusts here and there will help us quite a bit. We'll be ready to run  
tomorrow."
 
Coughlin continues to be encouraged by the performance of his Don  Schumacher 
Racing teammate Richie Stevens, who ended this day in eighth place on  the 
qualifying sheet with a 6.785 at 204.23 mph. Stevens' impressive mph tied  him 
with Kurt Johnson for the fastest run of the race thus far.
 
"All the info we need is inside the ropes with this race team," said  
Coughlin, who shares crew chief Bob Glidden with Stevens' Team Mopar Dodge  Stratus 
R/T group. "Richie was runner-up at the last event and he ran a good  number 
today with great speed so we'll learn from that and make our car  better."
 
Like the rest of the 28 Pro Stockers attempting to qualify for this event,  
Coughlin will have two more chances to improve on his posted time during  
Saturday's final two sessions scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
 
TELEVISION SCHEDULE:     

Saturday, May 14, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying  highlights at 
7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday May 15, ESPN2 will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a  30-minute weekly news 
magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 15,  ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 
p.m.  (ET).