• Claimed his first major event win in 1984 when he won the Quick Rod class at the IHRA Winter Nationals in Darlington, S.C.
• Won his first NHRA national event title in the Super Gas class at the 1992 NHRA Winston Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Finished a career-best No. 2 in Super Gas national championship standings
• Won the first of his four NHRA divisional championships in 1994 when he claimed the North Central Division Super Gas title.
• Turned Pro in 1999 when he made his debut in the Pro Stock Truck class
• Won his first professional title at the 1999 Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, beating Brad Jeter to win the Pro Stock Truck title.
• Finished No. 4 in Pro Stock Truck NHRA championship in 2000, his career best finish as a professional.
• Shared a memorable Coughlin family double win on Father’s day in 2003 when he won the Super Stock title and brother Mike won in Super Comp at their home track, National Trail Raceway.
• Won the 2005 NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals as a car owner after allowing Brad Plourd to drive his JEGS Mail Order Super Comp dragster at drag racing's most prestigious event.
• Won a second event as a car owner later in 2005 when he lent his Super Stock Cavalier to NHRA World Champion Anthony Bertozzi at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Won the $5,000 first place prize at a major E.T. bracket racing event at Farmington Dragway in Farmington, N.C. in 2006
• Won the 2007Top Dragster Shootout specialty event at the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio
• Won the 2007NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster Championship after winning three events in his new JEGS.com dragster
• Won a second NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster championship in 2009 following a clutch victory at the final event of the season in Las Vegas, Nev.
Quick Facts
John Coughlin
Hometown: Delaware, Ohio
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 53 (DOB January 20, 1963)
Family: Diana (wife), Cody (son) & Kennedi (daughter)
Years racing: 30
Professional victories: 2 (Pro Stock Truck)
Professional final rounds: 3 (Pro Stock Truck)
Sportsman wins: 3 (2 in Super Gas, 1 in Super Stock)
Sportsman final rounds: 3
Total NHRA national event victories: 5
Total NHRA national event final rounds: 6
Total NHRA divisional event victories: 14
Total NHRA divisional event final rounds: 20
Career-best elapsed time: 6.512-seconds, Reynolds, Ga. 2010
Career-best speed: 215.86 mph, Reynolds, Ga. 2010
John Coughlin
John Coughlin is a man that wears many hats.
The eldest son of family patriarch Jeg Coughlin Sr. is most known for what he has done on the racetrack within the world of drag racing. He has been behind the wheel for more than two decades and has collected the “Wally” (trophy for national event wins) on five different occasions. He also has 14 divisional NHRA titles and a triumph in the Top Dragster Shootout.
Away from the racetrack, John is the President of JEGS. JEGS is the leader in aftermarket performance parts for all cars, trucks and other machines. He and his brothers, Troy, Mike and Jeg Jr., manage the day-to-day operations of the family business, which has more than 300 employees.
The most important hat that John wears, however, is that of a family man. John’s wife, Di, son, Cody and daughter, Kennedi are at the core of his heart. He enjoys skiing, boating and playing tennis with them as well as time around home. John also has a love of animals; one of his favorites is his pet cow, Cindy. John and his family are also firm believers in the Christian faith.
With that said, John is the biggest supporter of his children’s activities. Kennedi has been a cheerleader for several years and he and Di attend many of her functions.
Cody is pursuing a career in motorsports and paving a path different than his drag racing father. While circle track racing is not his forte, John has been with Cody every step of the way.
To help in his son's development, John helped assembled a top-flight support staff of racing veterans, including Scott Wimmer, Nick Easton, Kevin Hamlin, Dave Holt and Bob Dillner to help manage Cody’s ascension in the stock car racing world.
John is also directing Cody’s path to NASCAR. A straight-liner at heart, John has used his years of knowledge to help nurture Cody’s career. Cody is now a development driver with Joe Gibbs Racing, a team that also includes Sprint Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.
John is recognized around the racetrack as one of the most personable and energetic people in the sport, but at home he is just dad and husband. Those are the title he enjoys most in life.
| John NHRA National Event Victories | |||
| Year | Event | Location | Class |
| 2003 | Pontiac Excitement Nationals | Columbus, OH | Super Stock |
| 2000 | Sears Craftsman Nationals | St. Louis, IL | Pro Stock Truck |
| 1999 | Pontiac Excitement Nationals | Columbus, OH | Pro Stock Truck |
| 1993 | Budweiser Springnationals | Columbus, OH | Super Gas |
| 1992 | Winston Finals | Pomona, CA | Super Gas |
| NHRA Divisional Championships | |||
| Year | Event | Location | Class |
| 2009 | Division III Champion | Top Dragster | |
| 2007 | Division III Champion | Top Dragster | |
| 1995 | Division III Champion | Super Gas | |
| 1994 | Division III Champion | Super Gas | |
| NHRA Divisional Wins | |||
| Year | Event | Location | Class |
| 2009 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, NV | Top Dragster |
| 2009 | Route 66 Raceway | Joilet, IL | Top Dragster |
| 2008 | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Indianapolis, IN | Super Stock |
| 2007 | Atco Raceway | Atco, NJ | Super Stock |
| 2007 | Beech Bend Raceway | Bowling Green, KY | Top Dragster |
| 2007 | Route 66 Raceway | Joliet, IL | Top Dragster |
| 2007 | Orlando Speed World Dragway | Orlando, FL | Top Dragster |
| 2002 | National Trail Raceway | Columbus, OH | Super Stock |
| 1998 | U.S. 131 Dragway | Martin, MI | Super Stock |
| 1995 | Houston Raceway Park (Div. 4) | Houston, TX | Super Gas |
| 1995 | Quaker City Dragway | Salem, OH | Super Gas |
| 1994 | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Indianapolis, IN | Super Gas |
| 1993 | Firebird Raceway (Div. 7) | Chandler, AZ | Super Gas |
| 1991 | U.S. 131 Dragway | Martin, MI | Super Gas |
| Special Events | |||
| Year | Event | Location | Class |
| 2007 | JEGS Top Dragster Shootout | Columbus, OH | Top Dragster |
• Claimed his first major event win in 1984 when he won the Quick Rod class at the IHRA Winter Nationals in Darlington, S.C.
• Won his first NHRA national event title in the Super Gas class at the 1992 NHRA Winston Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Finished a career-best No. 2 in Super Gas national championship standings
• Won the first of his four NHRA divisional championships in 1994 when he claimed the North Central Division Super Gas title.
• Turned Pro in 1999 when he made his debut in the Pro Stock Truck class
• Won his first professional title at the 1999 Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, beating Brad Jeter to win the Pro Stock Truck title.
• Finished No. 4 in Pro Stock Truck NHRA championship in 2000, his career best finish as a professional.
• Shared a memorable Coughlin family double win on Father’s day in 2003 when he won the Super Stock title and brother Mike won in Super Comp at their home track, National Trail Raceway.
• Won the 2005 NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals as a car owner after allowing Brad Plourd to drive his JEGS Mail Order Super Comp dragster at drag racing's most prestigious event.
• Won a second event as a car owner later in 2005 when he lent his Super Stock Cavalier to NHRA World Champion Anthony Bertozzi at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Won the $5,000 first place prize at a major E.T. bracket racing event at Farmington Dragway in Farmington, N.C. in 2006
• Won the 2007Top Dragster Shootout specialty event at the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio
• Won the 2007NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster Championship after winning three events in his new JEGS.com dragster
• Won a second NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster championship in 2009 following a clutch victory at the final event of the season in Las Vegas, Nev.