Mike Coughlin - Season Preview (NHRA/JEG'S)

Mike Coughlin - Season Preview
JEG'S Mail Order - Team  JEG'S
 
DELAWARE, Ohio – Proving that his winless 2004 season was nothing more than  
a temporary bump in the road, Mike Coughlin bounced back in 2005 with one of 
the  most successful seasons of his long career. Racing exclusively in the 
Super Comp  class with his JEG’S Mail Order dragster, Coughlin won the Jegs.com 
Cajun  SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La., and the Division 3 Lucas Oil Series 
race at  Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. He also earned a runner-up finish at 
the JEG’S  Northern SPORTSnationals at the team’s home track, National Trail 
Raceway in  Columbus, Ohio. 
 
“Last year, I made the decision to cut back to just one car, and to limit  my 
travel schedule so that I would run just enough races to compete for a spot  
in the top ten,�?? said Coughlin. “I did this primarily because I wanted to 
spent  more time with my family and working at our business, and it actually 
worked out  very well for me. I was still able to race a lot and not get burned 
out.  
 
“Overall, it was a great season but I struggled a little at the last couple  
of races and that cost me a spot in the top ten,�?? Coughlin continued. “I  
finished in 11th, and was just one point out of tenth place. I also had a good  
shot at the Division 3 championship at one point. I didn’t win it, but it was  
exciting to be in the hunt for most of the year. We kept working on our JEG’S  
Mail Order dragster and by mid-season, it was incredibly consistent. That car 
 won a lot of rounds for me.�??
 
Coughlin’s successful 2005 campaign has only served to fuel his enthusiasm  
for the upcoming season. Coughlin still plans on racing the JEG’S Mail Order  
dragster in Super Comp at a handful of events, but his primary focus will be on 
 his newest project, a Jerry Bickel-built Chevy Cobalt that he plans to run 
in  the rapidly-growing Top Sportsman class. Coughlin expects to take deliver 
of the  slick new car in early February and plans to install a 622-cid engine 
from  Reher-Morrison Racing and a Powerglide transmission. He expects the 
combination  to run in the 7.0-second range at speed approaching 190-mph. 
 
“It will definitely be faster than anything I’ve ever driven before,�?? said  
Coughlin, who previously ran in the 7.3s at over 180-mph in the Pro Stock 
Truck  class. “Top Sportsman is such a cool class and it’s growing all the time. I
’ve  always enjoyed bracket racing and even though I like racing the 
dragster, I  prefer race cars with doors.
 
“Right now, my plan is to race all the Division 3 Top Sportsman events and  
run the two JEG’S SPORTSnationals events in Belle Rose, La., and Columbus, 
Ohio.  I’m also planning on racing in Super Comp with the dragster at the NHRA 
national  events in Chicago and Columbus.�??
 
Coughlin plans to test the new car in Georgia or Florida in mid-February  and 
will likely enter his first event with it at the season-opening Division 3  
Lucas Oil Series event at Indianapolis Raceway Park April 7-9. 



Additional information found at: 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 -or-  scott.woodruff@jegs.com