Big fight on tap for Coughlin at Charlotte drag race (NHRA/JEGS)

Big fight on tap for Coughlin at Charlotte drag race

CHARLOTTE, N.C.  (Sept. 16) -- After entering the NHRA's Countdown to 1 
playoffs as the hottest  driver in drag racing, five-time world champion Jeg 
Coughlin Jr. had an  uncharacteristic quarterfinal exit at the recently 
completed U.S. Nationals in  Indy, leaving him and the Mooresville, N.C.-based 
JEGS.com Pro Stock team  anxious to get back on the strip at this weekend's 
race in Charlotte and redeem  themselves.

Coughlin cruised into the postseason with two wins in three  consecutive 
final-round appearances but his Chevy Cobalt overpowered the  racetrack in 
Indianapolis and spun its tires just enough to prevent him from  advancing 
further in the first of six playoff races. 

"We're okay. If  anything, we're even more focused than we were before," 
Coughlin said. "The  track conditions just caught us a little off guard and we 
pushed the tune-up  over the edge ever-so-slightly and it cost us.

"The best news of all is  we're now heading into Charlotte, a track where 
we've had a lot of success in  the past, and one that's home to Victor 
Cagnazzi Racing. The entire gang will be  there, along with their families and 
friends, and we all want to do our very  best. We're ready for the fight."

Coughlin was top qualifier at the last  NHRA national event at zMax Dragway 
after posting a track record pass of 6.520  seconds. He also was the No. 2 
qualifier at the inaugural zMax event in 2008.  Ironically, although it's 
one of his favorite facilities, zMax Dragway is the  only NHRA track where 
Coughlin hasn't logged a win. 

"We've only had  three national events there so hopefully it just hasn't 
been our time yet," the  40-year-old co-owner of JEGS Mail Order said. "We 
need to be on our toes and  avoid any mistakes. We've won two out of three 
championships since the NHRA went  to a playoff system and it's always been the 
team that limits those little  errors that ultimately comes out on top.

"We know we've got some of the  stiffest competition ever in this category 
this year. Mike Edwards has been a  monster for two years now. Allen Johnson 
is right there with him. Greg Anderson  and Jason Line are champion 
drivers. Then you see a guy like Greg Stanfield pop  up and win Indy. It really is 
a case of anyone can win one of these races. The  talent level is 
incredible."

A four-time winner in 2010, Coughlin will be  joined in the pits by his 
fiancé Samantha Kenny, a national event winner who  races Super Comp, and his 
older brother Troy Coughlin Sr., who races Pro Mod in  the Get Screened 
America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

"We've always been a  racing family so we're most comfortable with everyone 
close by," Coughlin said.  "My father (Jeg Sr.) also will be there and he's 
the smartest guy I know when it  comes to racecars. His influence will be a 
big bonus, as always. We're excited  to get back after it and put this 
JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt back in the winner's  circle."

Qualifying for the third annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA  Nationals begins 
with two sessions at 2:30 and 6 p.m. Friday. Qualifying  highlights will be 
shown at 10 a.m. ET Sunday on  ESPN2.

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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, ext 412)
Mobile:  614.595.1820
Fax: 740.362.5507
Email: jegspr@aol.com   -or- scott.woodruff@jegs.com