Welcome to Team JEGS, NHRA Drag Racing
John Coughlin

Diversity is the name of the game for champion racer John Coughlin, who has tasted motorsports success as a driver, a team owner, a son, a brother, an uncle, and a father.

As a driver, the veteran drag racer has steadily expanded his resumé over the years to include a pair of North Central Division Top Dragster championships (2007 and 2009) and victories in multiple categories at both the national and divisional levels.

But wheeling powerful machines isn't enough for the oldest of drag racing legend Jeg Coughlin Sr.'s four sons so John regularly fields his cars with other drivers in the seat. The formula has worked as John's JEGS Mail Order-backed entries have racked up victories in a variety of classes with top-notch drivers like Anthony Bertozzi, Brad Plourd, "Fast Jack" Beckman, Hugh Meeks III, his youngest brother Jeg Jr., and his nephew Troy Jr. behind the wheel.

John also proudly serves as the No. 1 supporter for the efforts of his brothers Jeg Jr., Troy, and Mike, as well as his son Cody, who won the USAC .25 Midget title in '09. Of course it all started with weekends on "Pop's" crew when his father was barnstorming the central states in the original fleet of JEGS-branded racecars.

That early exposure lit the fire for John and by age 20 he had won his first event at the IHRA 1994 Winternationals in Darlington, S.C. That victory whetted John's appetite for success and paved the way for vast future achievements, which includes NHRA national event titles in Super Stock and Super Gas, as well as a near miss of the ultra-competitive Super Gas NHRA National Championship in 1992.

John also claimed back-to-back North Central Division championships in the Super Gas category in 1994 and 1995, securing Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event victories at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Quaker City Dragway, and Houston Raceway Park.

John also claimed back-to-back North Central Division championships in the Super Gas category in 1994 and 1995, securing Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event victories at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Quaker City Dragway, and Houston Raceway Park.

At the conclusion of three years racing a JEGS.com Chevy Pro Stock Truck alongside brother Mike, John had accumulated 27 round wins, including a runner-up finish at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indy and a win in St. Louis. After the Pro Stock Truck class was eliminated, the gifted racer returned to his Sportsman roots and quickly made his way back to the winner's circle, piloting his Super Stock Chevy Cavalier to victory at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Columbus, his first race back in the driver's seat.

John and Mike went in together on an extra-special Father's Day gift in 2003, celebrating respective wins in Super Stock and Super Comp at National Trail Raceway.

Four years later, John rolled full steam ahead into the 2007 season with a brand new B&B Race Cars Chevy Cobalt Super Stocker and an Undercover Chassis rail that he piloted to his first Top Dragster championship. That same year, he also finished second in Division 3 in Super Stock and highlighted his first Top Dragster championship season with four Lucas Oil Series wins.

In 2008, John picked up a Super Stock win in Indianapolis and claimed runner-up honors in Norwalk in his Top Dragster entry, finishing in the top 10 in both categories while taking advantage of the opportunity to compete in the invitation-only JEGS Allstars event in Chicago in Super Stock and the JEGS Top Dragster Shootout in his rail.

The 2009 season was a tremendous success. John kicked off the series with a brand new Mullis Race Cars dragster powered by Sonny Leonard engines, and on the way to earning his second North Central Division Top Dragster championship, he accrued numerous round-wins and two event titles. In Chicago, John took home the trophy and took over the points lead for the first time. He then waged battle to the very end, doing what he had to do in Las Vegas at the final Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race of the season -- win the race outright -- to nab the championship.

Diversity on the race track, skill behind the wheel, and success as a car owner and family supporter are attributes that go hand-in-hand with John's keen business sense; he and his three brothers serve as the vice presidents of JEGS Mail Order and have seen the company through a remarkable period of growth, positioning JEGS as a recognized industry leader in aftermarket high performance parts.

John, wife Diana, and children Cody and Kennedi make their home in Delaware, Ohio.


Personal

  • Works for family owned business, JEGS Automotive/JEGS Mail Order.
  • Oldest of the four Coughlin brothers.
  • Brother Troy competes in Pro Street; brother Mike races in Top Sportsman, and brother Jeg races in the Pro Stock class, where he is a four-time NHRA World Champion.
  • Enjoys spending time with family, motocross, tennis, snow skiing, tubing at Lake Cumberland, golfing, and vacationing in Sea Island and Marco Island
    Son Cody races Quarter Midgets in USAC competition and Junior Dragsters in NHRA
    Daughter Kennedi enjoys ice skating.

 

 
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