Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park
Chandler, Ariz. (Feb. 26-28)
Six-time NHRA world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has returned to the Pro Stock class on a full-time basis in 2016. Jeg Jr. is racing a new Rick Jones Race Cars-built Dodge Dart as a member of the Elite Motorsports team.
Last season, Jeg Jr. took a breather from the Pro Stock class but he did return at mid-season for a brief stint with the Elite Motorsports team. In three events, Jeg Jr. raced to a runner-up and a semifinal.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. is racing as a teammate to two-time NHRA Mello Yello champion Erica Enders-Stevens. They are both racing Dodge Darts for the Elite team. The HEMI-powered Dodges will be tuned by veteran crew chiefs Mark Ingersoll and Brian “Lump” Self along with chassis builders Rick and Rickie Jones. Fellow Pro Stock racers Vincent Nobile and reigning rookie of the year Drew Skillman are also part of the Elite Pro Stock team with their Chevrolet Camaro entries.
The NHRA Pro Stock class has an entirely different look this season thanks to a number of major rules revisions. Electronic fuel injection has replaced carburetors and as a result, the cars will no longer have big hood scoops. Pro Stock engines are now limited to a maximum of 10,500 rpm and the wheelie bar length has been shortened.
At the season-opening Circle K Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Jeg Jr. qualified No. 8 and won his first round match against teammate Enders-Stevens. He lost in the quarterfinals on a red-light against race winner Greg Anderson.
As a result of his Pomona finish, Jeg Jr. enters the Phoenix event ranked No. 6 in the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock points standings.
During his professional career, which began in 1997, Jeg Jr. has earned 15 top-10 finishes in the NHRA Pro Stock class.
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.
During his career, Jeg Jr. has won the Pro Stock title twice in Phoenix. He claimed his first win in 2000 by beating Mark Pawuk in the final round and stopped Kurt Johnson to win his second title in 2009.
As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also won the Super Stock title in Phoenix in 1995. He returned in 1997 to claim the Comp title at the track’s Division 7 Lucas Oil Series event.
In 15 previous appearances at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park Jeg Jr. has a win-loss record of 19-13 in Pro Stock Competition.
Jeg Jr.’s best elapsed time in a Pro Stock car is 6.484 seconds and his best speed is 214.62 mph, both recorded in Gainesville in 2014.
Last season, Jeg Jr. accomplished a longtime goal with his first national event double. Racing at the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, he won the Super Gas and Stock titles. In Stock, Jeg Jr. drove his Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to the title.
Including Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different facilities. The only current venues on the NHRA Full Throttle tour where he has not won are the tracks in Norwalk and Epping.
Jeg Jr. is one of just 16 professional racers to win 500 elimination rounds in NHRA competition, a feat he accomplished at the 2013 Topeka race. The only other Pro Stock drivers with 500 wins are Warren Johnson, Bob Glidden and Greg Anderson.
Jeg Jr. is one only driver to win national event titles in seven different categories. He has won in Pro Stock, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Top Dragster.
Jeg Jr. is the only professional racer in history to win a national event title from all 16 starting spots. During his Indy win in 2000, Jeg qualified No. 16.
With 58 career Pro Stock wins, Jeg Jr. ranks fourth all-time among Pro Stock drivers. Only Warren Johnson (97), Bob Glidden (85) and Greg Anderson (79) have more titles.
In 358 career Pro Stock races, Jeg Jr. has reached the final round 100 times, recording 58 wins. Including his 18 sportsman victories, Jeg Jr. has won a total of 76 times, good for ninth place on NHRA’s all-time wins list. During his career, Jeg Jr. has appeared in 124 final rounds, 100 as a professional and 24 as a sportsman racer.
During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 358 events and recorded 577 round wins while incurring just 284 losses. He has red-lighted just 20 times and failed to qualify just 16 times.
The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. has combined for 109 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin’s have won in ten different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.
Team JEGS – By the Numbers (Carquest Auto Nationals Edition)
7 – Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title
20 – Number of times Jeg Jr. has qualified No. 1 in a Pro Stock field
24 – Number of different facilities where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title
109 – Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family
861 – Pro Stock elimination rounds for Jeg Jr. with 577 wins, 284 losses (.670-percent)