john coughlin
Quick Facts:
Hometown: Delaware, Ohio
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 58 (DOB January 20, 1963)
Family: Diana (wife), Cody (son) & Kennedi (daughter)
Professional Victories: 2 (Pro Stock Truck)
Professional Final Rounds: 3 (Pro Stock Truck)
Sportsman Wins: 3 (2 in Super Gas, 1 in Super Stock)
Sportsman Final Rounds: 3
Total NHRA National Event Victories: 5
Total NHRA National Event Final Rounds: 6
Total NHRA Divisional Event Victories: 14
Total NHRA Divisional Event Final Rounds: 20
Career-Best Elapsed Time: 6.512-seconds, Reynolds, Ga. 2010
Career-Best speed: 215.86 mph, Reynolds, Ga. 2010
BIOGRAPHY
As the oldest son of drag racing legend and speed shop magnate Jeg Coughlin Sr., John Coughlin literally grew up in the world of hot rods and racing.
Naturally, as soon as he was old enough to compete, John headed to the track and spent three decades pursuing his passion in a number of drag racing categories. And while he’s still intimately involved in the drag racing world – and in helping run the company his father started along with his three brothers – John has shifted gears, spending more time with his family and taking pride in each of their many impressive accomplishments.
During his own storied career, John won national event titles in three classes — Super Stock, Super Gas, and Pro Stock Truck. He also earned four North Central Division championships in 1994, 1995, 2007, and 2009. Additionally, he won 14 divisional events.
Since hanging up his helmet, John’s primary focus has been twofold: on his family, and on growing and improving the family’s highly successful high-performance auto parts retailer. John helps manage the day-to-day operations of JEGS Mail Order as the president and co-owner, taking particular pride in the marketing and e-commerce development of JEGS.com.
John is widely known as a personable, charismatic ambassador for the sport of drag racing, for the JEGS brand, and for all of the members of the Coughlin extended family. Despite his successes on the track, and in business, nothing means more to John than the titles of dad, brother, husband, son and uncle. He is grateful for all of the things he has been blessed with, but most of all for the incredible family that surrounds him.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Claimed his first major event win in 1984 when he won the Quick Rod class at the IHRA Winter Nationals in Darlington, S.C.
• Won his first NHRA national event title in the Super Gas class at the 1992 NHRA Winston Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Finished a career-best No. 2 in Super Gas national championship standings
• Won the first of his four NHRA divisional championships in 1994 when he claimed the North Central Division Super Gas title.
• Turned Pro in 1999 when he made his debut in the Pro Stock Truck class
• Won his first professional title at the 1999 Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, beating Brad Jeter to win the Pro Stock Truck title.
• Finished No. 4 in Pro Stock Truck NHRA championship in 2000, his career best finish as a professional.
• Shared a memorable Coughlin family double win on Father’s day in 2003 when he won the Super Stock title and brother Mike won in Super Comp at their home track, National Trail Raceway.
• Won the 2005 NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals as a car owner after allowing Brad Plourd to drive his JEGS Mail Order Super Comp dragster at drag racing’s most prestigious event.
• Won a second event as a car owner later in 2005 when he lent his Super Stock Cavalier to NHRA World Champion Anthony Bertozzi at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
• Won the $5,000 first place prize at a major E.T. bracket racing event at Farmington Dragway in Farmington, N.C. in 2006
• Won the 2007Top Dragster Shootout specialty event at the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio
• Won the 2007 NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster Championship after winning three events in his new JEGS.com dragster
• Won a second NHRA North Central Division Top Dragster championship in 2009 following a clutch victory at the final event of the season in Las Vegas.
STATISTICS
John NHRA National Event Victories |
|||
Year |
Event |
Location |
Class |
2003 |
Pontiac Excitement Nationals |
Columbus, OH |
Super Stock |
2000 |
Sears Craftsman Nationals |
St. Louis, IL |
Pro Stock Truck |
1999 |
Pontiac Excitement Nationals |
Columbus, OH |
Pro Stock Truck |
1993 |
Budweiser Springnationals |
Columbus, OH |
Super Gas |
1992 |
Winston Finals |
Pomona, CA |
Super Gas |
NHRA Divisional Championships |
|||
Year |
Event |
Location |
Class |
2009 |
Division III Champion |
Top Dragster |
|
2007 |
Division III Champion |
Top Dragster |
|
1995 |
Division III Champion |
Super Gas |
|
1994 |
Division III Champion |
Super Gas |
|
NHRA Divisional Wins |
|||
Year |
Event |
Location |
Class |
2009 |
Las Vegas Motor Speedway |
Las Vegas, NV |
Top Dragster |
2009 |
Route 66 Raceway |
Joilet, IL |
Top Dragster |
2008 |
Indianapolis Raceway Park |
Indianapolis, IN |
Super Stock |
2007 |
Atco Raceway |
Atco, NJ |
Super Stock |
2007 |
Beech Bend Raceway |
Bowling Green, KY |
Top Dragster |
2007 |
Route 66 Raceway |
Joliet, IL |
Top Dragster |
2007 |
Orlando Speed World Dragway |
Orlando, FL |
Top Dragster |
2002 |
National Trail Raceway |
Columbus, OH |
Super Stock |
1998 |
U.S. 131 Dragway |
Martin, MI |
Super Stock |
1995 |
Houston Raceway Park (Div. 4) |
Houston, TX |
Super Gas |
1995 |
Quaker City Dragway |
Salem, OH |
Super Gas |
1994 |
Indianapolis Raceway Park |
Indianapolis, IN |
Super Gas |
1993 |
Firebird Raceway (Div. 7) |
Chandler, AZ |
Super Gas |
1991 |
U.S. 131 Dragway |
Martin, MI |
Super Gas |
Special Events |
|||
Year |
Event |
Location |
Class |
2007 |
JEGS Top Dragster Shootout |
Columbus, OH |
Top Dragster |