Jeg Coughlin tops Texas field with double track record

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
NHRA O’Reilly Fall Nationals
Texas Motorplex
Dallas, TX
September 25th

Jeg Coughlin – Pro Stock
Jeg’s Mail Order Chevy Cavalier
Saturday Qualifying Summary

Jeg Coughlin officially has the quickest and fastest Pro Stock car at the 19th annual O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals after securing his eighth career Low Qualifier award Saturday at the Texas Motorplex. The feat is worth $3,000 from King Demon Crown.

Coughlin proved his class-leading Friday night pass of 6.775 seconds at 204.20 mph was a true representation of his Jeg’s Mail Order Chevrolet Cavalier’s potential when he backed up the run in Saturday’s heat with a slightly quicker 6.774 at 204.35 mph. Both marks set Motorplex track records. This is Coughlin’s first No. 1 qualifying effort of ’04.

“Getting the No. 1 qualifier means a lot to us,” Coughlin said. “We always enjoy adding to our list of accolades and this particular low qualifier award comes during a time when I think we’re seeing our class at it’s finest. Pro Stock is the toughest it’s ever been so any time you can say you’re No. 1, even if it’s just for a day, is an honor.

“This isn’t a fluke. We’ve been near the front of the pack for the last few races. At this particular race we’ve had the best speed and back half every pass. That’s very encouraging. We just haven’t put it all together on race day yet. We keep getting to the semifinals but we need to find a way to go four rounds and get a win.”

A winner at this race in 2002, the same year he captured his second Pro Stock series championship, Coughlin will begin his journey towards a second North Texas victory against final qualifier Warren Johnson, who earned the 16th position on the elimination ladder with a 6.821. Coughlin and Johnson have raced twice this year with Coughlin a perfect 2-0 against the six-time series champion.

With 33 national event wins, Coughlin is third on the all-time Pro Stock list behind Johnson’s 92 wins and Bob Glidden’s 85 wins. But Coughlin hasn’t won an event yet this year, and he knows he has just five races left to keep alive a streak of logging at least one win in each of his eight professional campaigns.

“This is the third of three motors we’ve rolled out and each one has gotten progressively better as we continue to work on different components,” Coughlin said. “And with the extra week we had off, I feel like we arrived at this race better prepared than any other race this year. Still, the real test is still in front of us. We need a win.”

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