Auto-Plus Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
(March 12-15, 2015)
The NHRA Amalie Oil Gatornationals will mark the first race in the ten-event 2015 J&A Services Pro Mod Series. There will be a pair of JEGS Mail Order entries in competition. Former series champion Troy Coughlin will debut his new turbocharged JEGS.com Chevy C7 Corvette. He will be joined by his son, Troy Jr. [T.J.] who will be making his Pro Mod series debut in the team’s 2014 Corvette Pro Mod entry.
The JEGS Mail Order team will also be represented by Mike Coughlin, who will race his 212-mph Chevy Camaro in the Top Sportsman class. Top Sportsman racers will have the opportunity to compete for an NHRA national championship for the first time this season and Mike has stated his intention to pursue the inaugural series title.
Both of the JEGS.com Pro Mod Corvettes will be tuned by noted turbocharger expert Steve Petty. With a top speed in excess of 257-mph, Troy is officially the fastest member of the Coughlin family, eclipsing the performance of his father, Jeg Sr., who raced in the Top Fuel class in the early 1980s.
Last year, Troy won a pair of NHRA Pro Mod Series events in Norwalk, Ohio and Concord, N.C. He finished the season as the series’ second-ranked Pro Mod driver behind champion Rickie Smith.
Troy was one of just seven Pro Mod racers who qualified for all ten events in 2014. His best qualifying performance came in Indianapolis, where he was the No. 2 qualifier in the 16-car field.
Troy won his first NHRA national event title at the U.S. Nationals in 1991 when he drove his Pro Stock-style Olds to the win in Super Gas. Troy defeated Mary Ann Jackson in the final. Troy’s first Pro Mod victory came at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey in 2005 when as he drove his supercharged Mustang to as win over Zack Barkledge in the final round.
Troy is one of the few Pro Mod competitors who have raced all three current engine combinations; turbocharged, supercharged, and nitrous oxide assisted
Before moving to the Pro Mod class, Troy enjoyed success in the NHRA Pro Stock class, recording two wins in 12 final round appearances. He also won the $50,000 top prize at the 2000 Winston No Bull Showdown at Bristol Dragway, a special non-points event for Pro Stock competitors.
All told, Troy has ten NHRA national event wins in 24 final round appearances in Pro Mod, Pro Stock, and Super Gas competition.
Troy is a former National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Pro Street champion. While racing his Pro Street car, he also won the $50,000 Big Dog event at Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, N.C.
Troy Jr. recently upgraded his NHRA competition license with a best run of 5.96-seconds at over 248-mph.
Troy Jr. is a five-time NHRA national event winner and the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major event. Troy Jr. won Super Comp titles at the 2009 Las Vegas race and the 2010 U.S. Nationals. He won a pair of national events last season, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals.
Troy Jr. is also the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion. Last year, he finished No. 3 in the national standings out of nearly 1,000 competitors.
During his career, Troy Jr. has appeared in nine Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional final rounds and has claimed three victories.
In addition to his success in NHRA events, Troy Jr. is also 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.
Mike is a two-time North Central Division Top Sportsman champion. He won titles in 2007 and 2009. He was also a runner-up in 2011-2012.
All told, Mike Coughlin has won 13 NHRA national event titles in Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, and Top Sportsman. Mike’s most recent win came in 2014 when he drove his JEGS.com Camaro to the Top Sportsman title in Norwalk, Ohio. At that event, Mike shared the winner’s circle with older brother, Troy, who won in Pro Mod. In his career, Mike has recorded 15 top ten finishes in North Central Division competition in Super Comp, Super Gas, and Top Sportsman competition.
Last year, Mike recorded the best elapsed time and speed of his career with a 6.599-second run at 212.69 mph in Norwalk, Ohio.
The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. has combined for 107 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin’s have won in nine different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.
Team JEGS – By the Numbers
NHRA Amalie Oil Gatornationals Edition
5 – NHRA National event victories for third-generation racer T.J. Coughlin
9 – Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory
10 – NHRA National event victories for Troy Coughlin
13 – NHRA National event victories for Mike Coughlin
107 – Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family