The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Semifinal finish for Coughlin keeps him in the championship mix (NHRA/JEGS)

Semifinal finish for Coughlin keeps him in the championship  mix

DALLAS (Sept. 27) -- Back-to-back Pro Stock champion Jeg  Coughlin Jr. kept 
his threepeat hopes alive by racing to the semifinal round of  the 24th 
annual Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas  Motorplex. 

Coughlin beat Steve Spiess and Rodger Brogdon before falling  to Johnny 
Gray in the third round when his JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt went  sideways just 
off the launch pad, forcing him shut his car off to prevent an  accident.

"It's disappointing to beat yourself, which is how this feels,"  Coughlin 
said. "Take nothing away from Johnny Gray. He won the round and I  
congratulate him, but I sure wish we could have made it down the track and given  
ourselves a chance.

"We fought hard all day and it was a real battle. In  Round 1 we were given 
some bad fuel and the car almost didn't run at all. All we  changed for 
Round 2 was the fuel and we picked up considerably so I'm not sure  what the 
deal was with the fuel supply. I guess we should be happy we made it as  far 
as we did."

Coughlin's quarterfinal victory against Brogdon, who  rents a Victor 
Cagnazzi Racing engine and car, was one of the closest races of  the season with 
the final margin of victory just seven-10-thousandths of a  second. Brogdon 
earned a slight .033- to .049-second headstart but was run down  and caught 
inches before the finish line with Coughlin's 6.676 at 207.40 mph  just 
enough to get the win over Brogdon's 6.692 at 206.83 mph.

The  opening round wasn't quite as dramatic with Coughlin beating Spiess 
from end to  end, posting a 6.681 at 206.76 mph to Spiess' 6.705 at 206.13 mph.

"We'll  move onto Memphis and get after it again Friday," Coughlin said. 
"There's six  races in the Countdown to 1 and the first four are all in a row 
so you don't  have much time to think about things, you just press forward. 

"Mike  (Edwards) was the only guy ahead of us in the points and he lost in 
the semis  also so no harm, no foul there. We've got a good racecar and 
we'll just go hard  in Memphis, a track that's been very good to us in the past."



 
--30--
 
 
Information regarding  JEGS Mail Order can be found at _www.jegs.com_ 
(http://www.jegs.com/)  and for media/fan resources checkout _www.teamjegs.com_ 
(http://www.teamjegs.com/) .  
Media  Contact:
Scott "Woody"  Woodruff
JEGS, 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)