SCHERERVILLE, Ind. (May 16) – Given the performance of his No. 1 JEGS.com Chevrolet in 2012, good things surely will be on the horizon for stock-car driver Cody Coughlin.
“I’ve always been told that good things come to those who wait,” said Coughlin, who next competes in this Saturday’s Lisa Thomas Salon 100 presented by JEGS at Illiana Speedway. “I understand that now and I’m ready for the waiting to be over. I’m hoping for a great race if our luck changes this weekend.
“I compare our start this year to Kasey Kahne at the beginning of this NASCAR season. He had a bunch of bad luck even though he had the fastest car at a lot of those early races. We’ve had a fast car, too, but not much luck. As soon that turns, the results will be there. We’re going to keep trying our hardest and maybe make our own luck.”
Coughlin has endured some unique experiences in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour this season. He suffered a parts failure in the season opener, then crashed in the second when two lapped rookie drivers collided in front of him.
Still, the team is optimistic and looking forward to this weekend.
“Everybody has a positive attitude and everybody will keep sticking together,” crew chief Butch VanDoorn said. “It will all work out. It’ll come together. Everybody is doing a great job.
“The guys at the shop are working well together, and we’ll give Cody the best car we can. Hopefully, everything starts going well for us this weekend.”
After a 2011 season where he won the Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award, Coughlin is wishing for a solid finish at Illiana.
“I’m looking forward to going after some wins,” Coughlin said.” I’m very hungry for a win. We’ve finished in the top-five a lot and had a lot of good runs last year and earlier this year, too. Now I’m ready to ring up some victories.”
Coughlin had four top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 2011, including a seventh-place finish at Illiana. Plus, Coughlin had two top-five and four top-10 finishes in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway in February, and was sixth in a special Pro Late Model race at Gresham Motorsports Park in April.
He’s looking for his first victory on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, and fans could see more competitiveness out of the 16-year-old driver as the season progresses – much like hard-charging NASCAR driver Ryan Newman.
“I’ll obviously try to miss all the wrecks,” Coughlin said. “But I know how to be aggressive, and I am ready to race. Obviously, you can’t win if you don’t finish, so it’s definitely a give-and-take situation with yourself, but I’m going to be aggressive.”
Coughlin continues to lean on his faith to help through these trying times.
“God has a plan for all of us, and I’m going to trust in him for everything,” Coughlin said. “My parents taught me to lean on God for everything, and I’m going to do that. They’re always there for me, too, and that means a lot. I can’t say thanks enough for my mom and dad and my sister Kennedi. With their help, and with Butch and all the guys on the team, we’ll get through this.”