Happy Birthday, Jeg Coughlin Sr.

DELAWARE, Ohio (March 15) – Jeg Coughlin Sr., the patriarch of the Coughlin family racing dynasty and the founder of the high performance automotive aftermarket company that bears his name, will celebrate his 74^th birthday today, March 15.

During a lifetime filled with success, both on and off the race track and an insatiable appetite for adventure, it is impossible to measure the impact that Jeg Sr. has had on the high performance industry or count the many lives he has touched over the years.

Nicknamed “the Captain” for his leadership qualities, many years ago, it was Jeg Sr. who once noted, “as long as there are two vehicles on this planet, there will always be the potential for a drag race.” With that in mind, he entered the automotive business in 1960, operating out of a small garage in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Today, JEGS Mail Order is known around the world and operates out of a 225,000 square foot facility in Delaware, Ohio which employs more than 350 associates. While his four sons, John, Troy, Mike, and Jeg Jr., now own and run the day to day operations at JEGS Mail Order, Jeg Sr’s steady hand remains on the tiller, guiding the company into continued prosperity.

On track, Jeg Sr. enjoyed a long and successful career, racing virtually every vehicle imaginable from gassers and altereds to Funny Cars and Top Fuel dragsters. His list of achievements is numerous, including four NHRA North Central Division championships and a host of major event wins at tracks all over North America.

Jeg Sr’s many accomplishments have not gone un-noticed as he is a member of the Hot Rod Magazine Hall of Fame, the NHRA North Central Division Hall of Fame, the Olentangy Business Hall of Fame, and in 2011, he was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, which is housed at “Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Fla. Jeg is also a former recipient of the prestigious Car Craft Magazine “Ollie Award” and was named the Ernst & Young master Entrepreneur of the Year recipient in 2002.

For all of his racing and business achievements, the one thing that Jeg Sr. is perhaps most proud of is the creation of the privately funded JEGS Foundation for Cancer Research and the “Racing for Research” program which has raised several million dollars for cancer research since its inception.

At an age when many individuals are long retired, Jeg Sr. remains as active as ever. He frequently lends his wisdom and expertise to the family in both business and racing endeavors. He also serves as a mentor to the rapidly growing JEGS Mail Order team, which not only includes his four sons, but also to the third generation of Coughlin’s.

Happy Birthday Jeg Sr!