Bourgeois and Coughlin Big Winners at Jegs.com Cajun SPORTSnationals (NHRA)

Belle Rose, LA. – Racing finished Sunday at the NHRA Jegs.com Cajun SPORTSnationals being held at No Problem Raceway with hometown driver Craig Bourgeois of Metairie, La., taking home the championship trophy in the Comp Eliminator category, while Jeg Coughlin of Delaware, Ohio, finished first in the Top Dragster class.

Bourgeois, with a pass of 6.996 seconds at 187.91 mph, held off Dick Maris of Valrico, Fla., who finished with a pass of 7.002 seconds at 167.63 mph. Coughlin earned his first win at the Cajun

SPORTSnationals with a win over Timmy Graves of Denham Springs, La. Coughlin’s pass of 7.502 seconds at 160.84 mph was enough to beat Graves with a pass of 7.765 seconds at 171.69 mph.

“It’s great to win anywhere,” replied Jeg Coughlin when asked how it felt to win the Jeg’s.com SPORTSnationals. “We had a great time down here and I’m really looking forward to running the Jeg’s Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus. I was running the NHRA Powerade Series last year and didn’t get to race it.”

In Super Street Sid Norwood of Brandon, Miss., earned the win in his ’80 Corvette over Bart Dufrene Jr, of Des Allemands, La., with a pass of 10.889 seconds at 151.43 mph. This is the second year in a row that Norwood took home the winner’s trophy.

“Any day you can come down here to Louisiana and beat these guys, you’ve had a great day,” expressed Norwood. “We won here last year and lost in Columbus in the semi-finals. We’re definitely going back to Columbus. We want that Jeg’s Crown!

Today’s winners in all categories now have the opportunity to win the prestigious Jeg’s Crown if they go on to win the NHRA Jeg’s Northern SPORTSnationals. In 2005, Mike Ashley was the only driver to take home the Crown.

In other categories, Kevin Helms of Mineola, Texas, in his ’95 Achieva, won Super Stock; Ed Stuart of Pensacola, Fla., won Top Sportsman in his ’04 Cavalier; Steve Cohen of Trilby, Fla., put his ’04 Super Comp Dragster in the winner’s circle; Jarrod Granier of Labadievelle, La., won with his ’97 Camaro in Stock Eliminator; and Jerry Debusk of La Porte, Texas, took home the Super Gas trophy in his ’92 Probe.

Benny Smith, Jr. of Baton Rouge, La. claimed the “King of the Bayou” title on Saturday with the “best package” in Super Comp edging out Shannon Brinkley of Highlands, Texas, and Bryan Sandlin of Baytown, Texas. Smith won $500 courtesy of Laris Insurance Agency for having the “best package” in Super Comp and received and an extra $1000 courtesy of Southland International for taking the overall “King of the Bayou” title.

In Saturday’s Mopar Hemi Super Stock Shootout, Charlie Westcott Jr., in his ’68 Barracuda, took home the Mopar Trophy and $5000 purse. Bucky Hess, in his ’68 Barracuda, outran Westcott but failed to pass post race inspection, disqualifying him from the race.

Racing for the South Central Division of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series continues next weekend at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. For more information please contact the track at (972) 878-2641 or log on to www.texasmotorplex.com.

The following are the final results from the NHRA Jegs.com Cajun SPORTSnationals being held this weekend at No Problem Raceway:

COMP ELIMINATOR

Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., dragster, A/ND, 7.002, 167.63 def. Dick Maris, Valrico, Fl., dragster, C/D, 6.996, 187.91.

SUPER STOCK

Kevin Helms, Lindale, Texas, ’95 Achieva, SS/CM, 9.310, 147.31 def. Gilbert Johnson Jr., Lecompte, La., ’90 Camaro, GT/IA, 10.304, 125.06.

STOCK ELIMINATOR

Jarrod Granier, Labadieville, La., ’97 Camaro, C/FIA, 11.038, 121.68 def. Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., ’95 Camaro, B/FIA, 10.950, 118.59.

SUPER COMP

Steve Cohen, Trilby, Fla., dragster, 8.936, 156.03 def. Jim Hughes, Phoenix, dragster, 8.933, 149.20.

SUPER GAS

Jerry Debusk, La Porte, Texas, ’92 Probe, 9.921, 160.02 def. David Tatum III, Palmetto, Ga., ’04 Cavalier, 9.932, 165.25.

SUPER STREET

Sid Norwood, Brandon, Miss., ’80 Corvette, 10.889, 151.43 def. Bart Duffrene Jr, Des Allemands, La., ’71 Nova, 10.855, 120.68.

TOP DRAGSTER

Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, dragster, 7.502, 160.84 def. Timmy Graves, Denham Spgs, La., dragster, 7.765, 171.69.

TOP SPORTSMAN

Ed Stuart, Pensacola, Fla., ’04 Cavalier, 7.641, 179.23 def. Dan Morrow, Bradenton, Fla., ’06 GTO, 7.058, 195.22