Coughlin brothers stay busy at Farmington (JEG’S)

FARMINGTON, N.C. – Brothers John and Jeg Coughlin enjoyed a busy and productive weekend while racing their Team Jeg’s dragsters at Farmington Dragway in Farmington, N.C. The Coughlin’s were in Farmington last weekend to participate in the track’s annual Big Bucks Bonanza, an E.T. Bracket racing event that featured a $50,000 to win main event on Saturday, a pair of $10,000 to win races on Friday and Sunday, and a $5,000 to win Gambler’s Race on Friday.

John enjoyed the most success as he reached the final round of Friday’s Gambler’s Race. He was scheduled to race against local pro Donnie “Hollywood” Urban in the final, but after a lengthy delay due to oil on the racing surface, the two finalists agreed to split the money with each driver leaving with $3,000.

“That was a really nice way to start the weekend,” said John. “It was late and we were both tired so we just decided to call it a night and prepare for the $50,000 race the next day.”

Neither Coughlin appeared in another final but they advanced deep into eliminations on all three days with Jeg posted the best finish when he reached the semifinal round of Friday’s $10,000 race. The Big Buck Bonanza features a unique format that allows competitors to “double enter” and race the same vehicle twice in each event which meant that Coughlin brothers were able to get plenty of track time.

“We each won three or four rounds each day and since we were able to double enter, I made 41 runs and I believe John made runs 38 over the weekend,” said Jeg Coughlin. “We burned through 175 gallons of racing fuel and had a good time doing it. Anytime you can make that many runs, it really helps hone your skills and build your confidence as a driver.

“You get a lot of track time at these races and that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy bracket racing so much,” he continued. “In the last four races, I’ve made more runs down the drag strip than I made during the entire 2005 season. When I made the decision not to race Pro Stock this year, I wanted to be able to attend some of these big bracket races and visit some new and different race tracks and this is exactly they type of event I had in mind. These big bracket races attract some of the best drivers in the country and the competition is second to none. If you’re fortunate enough to win one of these races, you’ve really accomplished something.”

The $50,000 main event was won by Jason Lynch of Chapmansboro, Tenn., while Steve Witherow of Summerduck, Va., and Cliff Shipp of Dallas, Ga., won the $10,000 races on Friday and Sunday, respectively.