Starting Line Advantages Were Key To Early Success For Elite Motorsports Team

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 12, 2023) -Troy Coughlin Jr. raced his Elite Motorsports JEGS.com Camaro to the first Pro Stock win of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series today at the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. This is the third Pro Stock win of the talented driver’s career and the first time he’s won an event with his grandfather, Jeg Coughlin Sr., and his father, Troy Coughlin Sr., in attendance.

Coughlin kicked off race day from the pole position with the fastest and quickest pass of his career when he laid down a stunning run of 6.515-seconds at 212.29 mph. Matching his elapsed time was his teammate and five-time world champion Erica Enders who landed in the No. 2 spot based on mph. Cristian Cuadra achieved a new personal best elapsed time during qualifying with his pass of 6.527 at 211.06.

“To win with my grandfather here today is pretty surreal,” said Coughlin. “He’s the man who pretty much started it all for us as far as drag racing goes. And he’s built an iconic brand. It’s just fun. This morning I was thinking, ‘The chief’s coming today.’ And it fired me up. It’s an honor to have him here.”

A malfunction with Enders’ car gave her rookie teammate Jerry Tucker the first-round win of his Pro Stock career and Coughlin outpaced Pro Stock legend, Larry Morgan. Tucker and Coughlin were the only two Elite Motorsports drivers to advance past the first round. 

In the quarterfinals, Tucker left a tick too early against veteran Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson. Coughlin got the starting line advantage over Deric Kramer and held on to that lead for the round win. In the semifinals, Coughlin defeated Dallas Glenn on a holeshot thanks to another great light.

In the final heat of the day, Coughlin powered his Elite Motorsports machine into the winners circle against Pro Stock up-and-comer Mason McGaha.

In the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Mason Wright qualified No. 10 in a stacked category with a fantastic run of 5.828 at 245.49. He cut a solid light in the first round of eliminations against Doug Winters but it did not prove to be enough to turn on the win light.

The Elite Motorsports team will head to Phoenix in two weeks for the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Motorsports Park, March 24-26. 

Photos

Troy Coughlin Jr. powered his way to a No. 1 qualifier and event win at the 2023 Gatornationals in his JEGS.com Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Rookie driver Jerry Tucker made a standout performance at the first event of his Pro Stock career. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Erica Enders qualified No. 2 in a stacked Pro Stock category at the NHRA Gatornationals. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Bo Butner lays down a smokey burnout in his JHG Camaro in Gainesville. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Cristian Cuadra achieved a new personal best elapsed time at the NHRA Gatornationals in his Corral Boots Mustang. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Fernando Cuadra Sr. debuted a new look for his Corral Boots Mustang this season. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Aaron Stanfield launches his Janac Brothers / JC3 Energy Camaro at Gainesville Raceway. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)
Fernando Cuadra Jr. has a new look for his Corral Boots Mustang this season. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Media Contacts:

Jessica Hatcher – Imagination 9

jessica@imagination9.com

Scott Woodruff – Elite Motorsports

woody@elitemotorsportsllc.com

Courtney Enders – Elite Motorsports

courtneyenders@icloud.com

About Elite

Elite Motorsports, LLC

Elite Motorsports, LLC is the leader in motorsports transportation needs. With a large inventory of new and used trailers, motor coaches, semi-transporters, and more, the experienced team at Elite Motorsports works tirelessly to deliver tailored racing solutions for each customer’s changing needs. Elite Motorsports also operates the largest professional drag racing team in the NHRA featuring Erica Enders, Bo Butner, Troy Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield, Jerry Tucker, and the Cuadra family race team.

Elite HP

Elite HP is dedicated to the sale of new and used high-performance parts as well as used race cars, collectible cars, and racing engines. You can trust Elite HP because we are operated by racers, for racers, and each of our highly-skilled team members understands the real-world challenges that racers experience. They are uniquely positioned to steer customers in the right direction to meet their specific motorsports needs. Located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma on the Elite Motorsports campus.

Elite Performance

Elite Performance is an engine-building organization focused on professional drag racing engines. Owned and operated by Elite Motorsports, LLC., Elite Performance builds engines that can hold their own in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock and Pro Mod categories.

Patterson-Elite Performance

With an international reputation for excellence spanning back to 1960, Patterson-Elite Performance builds drag racing engines for sportsman categories including Stock, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator and Factory Stock. In addition to developing some of the best-performing engines in the sport, Patterson-Elite also operates a sportsman drag racing team competing in the NHRA Stock and Super Stock categories as well as big-money bracket races throughout the U.S.

Elite Cultivation & Processing 

Elite Cultivation & Processing is a state-of-the-art cannabis grower. Under the experienced leadership at Elite Motorsports, LLC, Elite Cultivation & Processing brings the same appetite for excellence, attention to detail, and precision-based engineering to the cannabis industry. With extraordinary customer service and professionalism, Elite Cultivation & Processing is setting a new standard for developing high-quality cannabis-based products.

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