DELAWARE, Ohio (June 15) — Having fathered four sons who have since sired a third generation of grandsons and granddaughters, it could be argued that every day is a bit of a Father’s Day for family patriarch Jeg Coughlin Sr., the man behind the 51-year-old JEGS High Performance empire.
But when the real Father’s Day happens to fall on a race weekend, as it does this year with the 12th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway and the JEGS/CRA Allstars Series late model stock car event in Birch Run,
“Winning is always a lot of fun, no matter when it happens,” Jeg Sr. said. “It’s just so hard to get these wins, no matter what race you’re attending or what you’re racing.
“To win on Father’s Day would just add a little something extra for all of us, so that makes it special, sure. We’ve been fortunate enough to win on Father’s Day in the past, and had wins on other important dates like birthdays and anniversaries. It does make the celebration that much more fun.”
Coughlin will be on hand to watch four of his progeny attempt to claim a trophy at Bristol Dragway. He’s a seasoned and readily available sounding board for all of his sons and grandkids, and attends as many events as his schedule allows.
His youngest son, Jeg Coughlin Jr., has benefitted greatly from having “Pop” around his Pro Stock camps over the years, something that’s come in especially handy in 2012 as Team JEGS fields it’s own racecar again after starting from the ground up less than a year ago.
“I love working with Pop and racing with him,” said Jeg Jr., a five-time world champion with 68 national event wins. “It’s something I cherish quite a bit. Every situation that comes up, it seems he’s been down that road before. His knowledge base is significant and it’s extremely valuable for the entire team. He helps all of us in his own, non-assuming way.”
Having just added Eddie Guarnaccia as co-crew chief to work alongside tuner Tomi Laine, Jeg Jr. is hoping for a breakthrough win this Father’s Day in his JEGS.com / Mopar Dodge Avenger.
“It’s a special day for all fathers,” Jeg Jr. said. “Being a dad myself, I know how much I enjoy it, and having a chance this weekend to honor my father, who I’m fortunate enough to have with me at most of my races, would be very special.”
Perhaps the most likely candidate to kick-off a Father’s Day celebration in
“It’ll be a big weekend for me no matter what happens on the track,” said
“My two youngest, Paige and Kelly, have a horse show so my wife Julie will be with them but I’m sure we’ll be in touch over the phone and on the internet.”
“I don’t know what I’d do if I was fortunate enough to win,”
“I haven’t even thought about Troy Jr. winning for me on Father’s Day. That would be something. I don’t know if I could be any prouder of that kid than I am already. He’s just been racing so well.
“Wow, that would be special. Maybe we could double up. And if Jeg wins too, maybe we could have a triple-winner!”
Across the country in
“He’s definitely helped me quite a bit, giving me the right tools and the right people to work on the car,” Cody said. “He’s certainly been a big influence on me as a person as well.
“We actually got him a gift for Father’s Day, but I can’t say what it is because he might read this. I know what I’d really like to give him is a trophy, and we’re going to try hard to get it for him.”
“My 11-year-old son, Jack is playing a couple of baseball games on Sunday,” Mike said. “My wife, Kriss, and other son, Clay, will be in the stands watching Jack play. I’ve always been around racing, so watching team sports is a new experience for me. It’s a lot of fun.
“Of course I’d like everyone to be together on Sunday, but we’re going to be spread across the country racing. We’ll still keep in touch to see how everyone is doing.”
As for Jeg Sr., he’s been lucky enough to experience it all through the years, which includes his own time in the driver’s seat. Team JEGS already has garnered 12 championships and nearly 200 race wins, and it shows no signs of stopping.
“It’s a point of immense pride for me,” Jeg Sr. said. “I’ve always been proud of my boys from the day they were born to right now. To see the men they’ve become, and the father’s they’ve become themselves, it’s more than I could have asked for.”
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