Brainerd Int’l Raceway (Brainerd, Minn.) August 16-18
The JEGS Mail Order team will be represented at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd by Jeg Coughlin Jr., who will be competing in the Pro Stock class.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. is continuing his pursuit of a sixth NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock title (and seventh overall) at this weekend’s Brainerd event. Jeg Jr. will once again be racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team.
Earlier this year in Phoenix, Jeg won his 62nd Pro Stock event and 81st overall when he defeated Matt Hartford in the final round. The final round represented the 1,000th round of professional competition for Jeg Jr.
Last season, Jeg Jr. finished at the No. 2 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class. He finished in the top ten for the 18th time in his career, which began in 1997.
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 Alex Laughlin and Rodger Brogdon. Jeg Jr.’s crew chief will be 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 the first ten events of the season, Jeg Jr. enters this week’s event at the No. 7 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class. He was the low qualifier at the most recent event in Seattle, and reached the quarterfinals.
Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different facilities including Brainerd Int’l Raceway. The only stops on the on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won a race are Norwalk, Ohio and Epping, N.H.
Jeg Jr. has four career Pro Stock victories at Brainerd Int’l Raceway in 1999, 2002, 2007, and 2010. Jeg defeated Warren Johnson in the 1999 final and stopped Minnesota native Greg Anderson in both 2002 and 2007. He defeated Shane Gray in 2010. Jeg Jr. was also the runner-up to Jason Line at the 2014 Brainerd race and was also a runner-up to Kurt Johnson at the 2000 event.
In 18 career appearances at Brainerd Int’l Raceway, Jeg Jr. has a round win record of 29-14 in Pro Stock competition, making it one of his most successful tracks.
As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the Super Stock title in Brainerd in 1997, beating his then teammate Jeff Taylor in an all-JEGS Mail Order final round. In 1997, Jeg Jr. also became the only driver to win four classes in the same season with wins in Pro Stock, Comp, Super Stock, and Super Gas.
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 the 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 Jr. qualified No. 16.
With 62 Pro Stock wins in his career, Jeg Jr. ranks fourth all-time among Pro Stock drivers. Only Warren Johnson (97), Greg Anderson (93), and the late Bob Glidden (85) and have more titles.
In 439 career Pro Stock races, Jeg Jr. has reached the final round 108 times, recording 62 wins. Including his 19 sportsman victories, Jeg Jr. has won a total of 81 times, good for ninth place on NHRA's all-time list. During his career, Jeg Jr. has appeared in 133 final rounds, 108 as a professional and 25 as a sportsman racer.
During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 439 events and has a round-win record of 655-361. He has failed to qualify just 16 times.
Jeg Jr. has been the low qualifier 30 times in Pro Stock including the recent NHRA race in Seattle.
Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 123 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 (Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals edition):
5: Pro Stock wins for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Brainerd (4 Pro Stock, 1 Super Stock)
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
18: Top-10 finishes for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class since 1998
123: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family