Four-time Pomona winner Coughlin wants No. 5 (NHRA/JEG'S)
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Southern California Auto Club NHRA Finals Pomona Raceway Pomona, CA Nov. 3-6, 2005 Jeg Coughlin - JEG'S Mail Order / Mopar - Dodge Stratus RT (Pro Stock) Pre Race Release Four-time Pomona winner Coughlin wants No. 5 For the second time in as many years, three-time NHRA champion Jeg Coughlin is facing the prospect of finishing a season with no victories. For a driver with 45 national event wins, it's a tough realization to make. But inside, Coughlin hasn't given up as he enters the season-ending 41st annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals intent on breaking the longest winless streak of his illustrious career. Pomona Raceway is the perfect place for Coughlin to score his 34th Pro Stock victory. On seven different occasions in his eight-year Pro career, Coughlin has raced to the finals at this racetrack, winning four events and scoring three runner-up finishes. He also has a rare low qualifier award to his credit at "the birthplace of drag racing," having earned the top qualifying spot here in 2000. "This has been one of our best tracks as far as performances go," Coughlin said. "It's really cool because drag racing has special significance here. The NHRA museum is on the property, the home offices of NHRA are just down the road, the fans have lived and breathed drag racing their entire lives; it's a special, special place for all of us. "At the same time, you're always excited to race where you've had success in the past. We like to say we know our way to the winner's circle here and it would really be a career highlight for me if I could go into the off-season with another victory at Pomona. This team deserves it. This crew deserves it. We've all worked very hard this year with little to show for it. I'd love to catch a few breaks this weekend and reward the boys." Coughlin is currently eighth in the POWERade championship points. The best he can hope for at this event is to move up to sixth, which would tie a career low. The season is admittedly a disappointment for the 35-year-old, second-generation racer. He joined Don Schumacher Racing's new two-car Pro Stock operation at the start of the year and the group, led by 10-time champion Bob Glidden, had designs on contending for a championship. "You dream big," Coughlin said. "Any time you put together the talent pool that Don Schumacher did you feel the expectations. On the other hand, we started from scratch and I know from personal experience that on occasion these things take time to build. I've tried to stay on my game whenever the helmet goes on and I feel like I've driven pretty well. It's just not a year to jump up and down about. Maybe we can turn that around a little bit this weekend." SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, Nov. 3 -- Sportsman qualifying and time trials begin at 8:15 a.m. / PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 2 p.m. FRIDAY, Nov. 4 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m. / PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 2 p.m. SATURDAY, Nov. 5 -- Sportsman eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m. / PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. SUNDAY, Nov. 6 -- Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. / FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Nov. 5, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Nov. 6, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Nov. 6, ESPN2 will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Nov. 4, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 24 K (12184 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, Nov. 5, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 24 K (12184 MHz, horizontal) Sunday, Nov. 6, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 24 K (12184 MHz, horizontal) Additional information found at: _www.teamjegs.com_ (http://www.teamjegs.com) Media Contact: Scott 'Woody' Woodruff Director of Media & Motorsports Office: 800.345.4545 (3.412) Mobile: 614.595.1820 Fax: 740.362.4385 Email: _jegspr@aol.com_ (mailto:jegspr@aol.com) -or- _scott.woodruff@jegs.com_ (mailto:scott.woodruff@jegs.com)