Cody Coughlin Scores First Victory In Quarter-Midget Competition

COLUMBUS, Ohio March 2, 2009: After five decades of excellence on the drag strip, the famed Coughlin racing family has now added a circle-track victory to its collective resume with third-generation racer Cody Coughlin winning the final race of the Winter Indoor Quarter Midget Series Saturday at the Ohio State Fairgrounds.

The 13-year-old son of drag racing champion John Coughlin and grandson of Hall-of-Famer Jeg Coughlin Sr., Cody claimed the Honda 120 Class at the regional Quarter Midget event, which attracted more than 200 race teams from across the USA.

"That is the most excited I've ever seen Cody," said John, who serves on Cody's crew and was on hand for the race. "He stopped to get the checkered flag for a victory lap and ended up making three of them, on the gas the whole way around. It was quite a moment. His first big win and the first ever for a Coughlin on an oval track."

Cody had to do some driving in his JEGS.com racecar to earn the trophy. He qualified No. 2 overall, meaning he started on the back row for the main event after the field was inverted. Undeterred, he confidently passed his rivals one by one before taking the lead on the fifth circuit of the 15-lap race. Once clear of the field, Cody was never challenged, almost lapping the pack just before the finish.

"We changed up the gearing and the tires after qualifying and that really seemed to help," John said. "The car was just really fast and Cody drove perfectly. The motor the guys at A Main Racing Engines put together for us was stout."

Cody, crew chief Tom McCauley, and car chief Aaron Scott now have a month off to prepare for the Region 4 Outdoor Series season opener at Columbus Motor Speedway. Cody also plans to dust off his Junior Dragster and make some eighth-mile passes in the 75-mph rail at National Trail Raceway in nearby Hebron.