zMax Dragway (May 14-16)
The JEGS Mail Order team will feature a new look this season with third-generation racer Troy Coughlin Jr. taking over from his uncle, Jeg Coughlin Jr., as the primary driver of the JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro Pro Stock entry.
At this week’s NGK NTK Four Wide Nationals, Troy Jr. will be racing alongside his sister, Paige, who will be racing her JEGS.com dragster in the Super Comp category.
This will be the second and final event of the season to feature the uniqe four-wide format, which advances both the first and second place finisher from each quad to the next round. It is featured at the spring events in Las Vegas and Charlotte.
Troy Coughlin Jr. is racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team which also includes Erica Enders, Alex Laughlin, and Aaron Stanfield. Troy Jr’s crew chief is Mark Indersoll, who has extensive experience as a championship winning tuner. The Elite team also features Rick and Rickie Jones, who regularly share data.
At the season-opening Camping World NHRA Drag Racing Series event in Gainesville, Fla., Troy Jr. qualified No. 7 in the 16-car field and reached the final round where he lost to Greg Anderson. After the first three events of the season, Troy Jr. is ranked No. 7 in the Camping World NHRA Pro Stock standings. He trails leader Greg Anderson by 149 points.
Troy Jr. is an eight-time national event winner with victories in Top Alcohol Dragster (3), Super Gas (3), and Super Comp (2). He has also competed in Top Fuel and Pro Mod.
Last season, Troy Jr. made his Pro Stock debut at the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals held in Indianapolis. He competed in eight events and qualified for seven of them. He raced to a runner-up finish at the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals, losing to his uncle, Jeg Jr., who won his 65th and final Pro Stock race and 84th overall.
Despite missing the first event of the season, Troy Jr. finished as the No. 13 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class in 2020.
During rookie season in Pro Stock, Troy Jr. compiled a round win record of 5-7. His five victories came against Kyle Koretsky, Erica Enders, Jason Line, Deric Kramer, and Chris McGaha. During his Pro Stock career, Troy Jr. now has a record of 8-10 in eliminations.
Troy Jr. is he 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. His other wins have come in Las Vegas (2009), Gainesville (2013), Columbus (2014), Reading (2018), Norwalk (2019) and Reading (2019).
Troy Jr. was crowned the 2018 and 2019 North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion. He was also crowned the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion.
The last time Troy Jr. competed at zMax Dragway, he drove to a runner-up finish in the Top Alcohol Dragster class at the 2019 Carolina Nationals held in October. He also set low elapsed time and top speed at that event with a 5.126-second, 282.66 mph run.
In 2019, Troy Jr. appeared in ten final rounds in Top Alcohol Dragster and earned five wins including national event titles in Norwalk and Reading. Troy Jr. has also earned victories at regional events at Atco Dragway, Beech Bend Raceway Park, and Virginia Motorsports Park.
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. He also won a $20,000 race at the Powerball of Bracket Racing event in Darlington, S.C.
Paige Coughlin made her debut in the Super Comp class in 2017 and has raced sporadically while continuing her education at Miami University of Ohio. Paige’s crew chief is Justin Beaver.
In 2019, Paige finished as the No. 2 ranked driver in the NHRA North Central Division Super Comp standings. She has also earned the right to compete in the prestigious JEGS Allstars event in 2020.
Before transitioning to the Super Comp class, Paige got her start in racing behind the wheel of a Jr. Dragster.
Paige is the daughter of three-time NHRA Pro Mod series champion Troy Coughlin, and the younger sister of two-time Division 3 champion and current Pro Stock driver Troy Coughlin Jr.
Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 127 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 (NGK NTK Four Wide Nationals)
7: Troy Coughlin Jr.’s current rank in Pro Stock following a runner-up at the Gainesville season-opener.
8: NHRA national event wins for Troy Coughlin Jr. in 3 different classes (Top Alcohol Dragster, Super Comp, Super Gas).
11: Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory
127: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family
139: Combined NHRA national event final rounds for the Coughlin family.