Point leader Coughlin preps for familiar foe in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Sept. 27, 2008 - For the seventh time this season, Jeg Coughlin Jr. will face good friend Justin Humphreys in the elimination rounds of an NHRA event. This time it will be during the opening round of the 21st annual Mid-South Nationals, and most likely due to their mid-pack qualifying positions, the two superstars be the very first pair of drivers on the quarter mile of Memphis Motorsports Park.

Coughlin qualified his JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt ninth in the field with a 6.631 at 207.59 mph, just two-thousandths of a second behind Humphreys, against whom he has fashioned a 4-2 record this year.

"It's going to be a tough race," Coughlin said. "Justin's been a roll lately and he recently won his first race in Pro Stock so we know we'll have our hands full.

"We're working on a better gameplan for race day. We definitely wanted more out of the car today. We're solid in the middle of the pack but we probably need to pick it up a tad to win this race. The good news is that we have room to improve and that's exactly what we're going to try and do."

This weekend's race is the third in a row in as many weeks. It also marks the third of six races in the Countdown to 1 playoffs. Coughlin entered the event 14 points ahead of his nearest rival, Kurt Johnson, who gained two points back by qualifying fifth here. Johnson faces fellow title contender Jason Line in Round 1, with the winner of that race most likely facing three-time champion Greg Anderson, another hopeful, in Round 2.

"It's been nip-and-tuck since the playoffs started and it's going to be tough again tomorrow," Coughlin said. "Some of the guys with designs on the '08 championship will be out early, we know that for sure based on the ladder. But at the same time some of them will definitely advance, so we'll need to be up for the fight to stay involved.

"I'm really glad to have Pops (Jeg Sr.) here this weekend with us. He works really well with (crew chief) Roy Simmons and they both think they've got something to help us step it up tomorrow. It'll be exciting, that's for sure."