Ennis, Texas (October 5-7)
The JEGS Mail Order team will be represented at this weekend’s AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals by Jeg Coughlin Jr. and his nephew, Troy Coughlin Jr.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. is once again racing as a teammate to two-time world champ Erica Enders. The Elite team also includes Pro Stock racers Vincent Nobile and Alex Laughlin. Jeg Jr.’s crew chief is multi-talented Rickie Jones, who has extensive experience as a driver, chassis builder, and tuner. The Elite team also includes crew chiefs Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll and Brian “Lump” Self, who regularly share data.
After 20 of 24 events, Jeg Jr. enters this week’s event at the No. 4 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class. The Dallas race marks the midway point in the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six race playoff to determine professional champions. Jeg Jr. is just 81-points out of first place.
At the most recent NHRA event in St. Louis, Jeg Jr. reached the semifinal round where he lost to Drew Skillman.
Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different track including the Texas Motorplex. The only current stops on the on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won are the events in Epping, N.H, and Norwalk, Ohio.
So far this season, Jeg Jr. has recorded Pro Stock wins in Chicago, Bristol, and Sonoma. He has also earned the Super Comp title in Richmond, Va.
Jeg Jr. made his Pro Stock debut at the Texas Motorplex in 1997. He qualified No. 7 and defeated the late Scott Geoffrion in round one before losing to Jim Yates in round two.
Jeg Jr. won the Pro Stock title in Dallas in 2002 defeating Gene Wilson in the final round. He also earned runner-up finishes in 2000, 2003, and 2008.
In 21 appearances at the Texas Motorplex, Jeg Jr., has a round win record of 23-17 in Pro Stock competition.
Since Jeg Jr. has already clinched his spot in the Countdown to the Championship meaning he will finish in the top ten in Pro Stock for the 18th time in his career.
Jeg Jr. is a five-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion. He earned season titles in 2000, 2002, 2007-2008 and 2013. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the NHRA Super Gas championship in 1992.
Jeg Jr. is NHRA’s all-time leader in holeshot victories with 103.
During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 425 events and has a round-win record of 636-348. He has red-lighted just 23 times and failed to qualify just 16 times.
Jeg Jr. has won 61 Pro Stock races in 106 final round appearances. Including his 19 sportsman wins, Jeg has 80 wins in 131 finals.
As a sportsman racer, Jeg Jr. has won 19 times in six different classes; Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Top Dragster.
Troy Jr. is a six-time NHRA national event winner and the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major event. Troy Jr. won the U.S. Nationals in Super Comp in 2010 and also won the Indy Super Gas title in 2014. Most recently, he won the Top Alcohol Dragster title in Reading in September. His other wins have come in Las Vegas (2009), Gainesville (2013), and Columbus (2014).
This year, Troy Jr. began racing in the Top Alcohol Dragster class and he won his first Top Alcohol Dragster race when he drove his Rich McPhillips-owned dragster to the win at the NHRA Regional event in Norwalk. He has since claimed additions Regional wins in Cecil County, Md., and Bowling Green, Ky., to go with his national event win in Reading.
In his rookie season, Troy Jr. is currently ranked No. 2 behind Shawn Cowie in the battle for the Top Alcohol Dragster national championship.
Troy Jr. was the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion.
In addition to his success in NHRA events, Troy Jr. also is regarded as one of the sport's best E.T. bracket racers. He has accumulated several major victories including a $25,000 payday at the Atco Dragway Superbucks event and a $10,000 win the Spring Buck Blast at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Two weeks ago, he won a $20,000 race at the Powerball of Bracket Racing event in Darlington, S.C.
Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 121 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin's have won in 11 different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Dragster, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.
Team JEGS – By the Numbers (AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Edition):
4: National event wins for Jeg Coughlin Jr. this season (three in Pro Stock and one in Super Comp).
7: Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title (the only driver in history to do so)
11: Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory
17: Top-10 finishes for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class since 1998
121: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family