Norwalk, Ohio. (July 2-5, 2015)
Team JEGS Pro Mod racers Troy Coughlin and his son, Troy Jr. (T.J.) will continue their pursuit of the J&A Service NHRA Pro Mod title this weekend in Norwalk, Ohio. Former series champion Troy will race his new turbocharged JEGS.com Chevy C7 Corvette. He will be joined by Troy Jr. who is in his rookie season in the Pro Mod series. Troy Jr. is driving the team’s 2014 Corvette Pro Mod entry. Troy Jr. will also be racing his JEGS.com dragster in Super Comp.
Mie Coughlin will also be competing in Norwalk in the Top Sportsman class with his JEGS.com Chevy Camaro. Mike and his brother Troy are the defending event champions.
Troy and Troy Coughlin Jr enter the Norwalk event ranked fourth and seventh, respectively in the Pro Mod points standings. Troy is 44 points behind leader Don Walsh while Troy Jr. is 119 points out of the lead.
At the most recent Pro Mod event in Bristol, Tenn, Troy reached the semifinal round and T.J. was a quarterfinalist. Both Coughlins were defeated by eventual runner-up Bob Rahaim.
Last month in Englishtown, Troy set top speed of the event with a run of 255.68-mph. It was also the fastest speed for an NHRA Pro Mod in 2015.
Both of the JEGS.com Pro Mod Corvettes are 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 the Norwalk event by beating Von Smith on a holeshot in the final round. Troy also won the Charlotte event and 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 25 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.
Before the start of the 2015 season, Troy Jr. upgraded his NHRA competition license with a best run of 5.96-seconds at over 248-mph. Thus far, T.J. has recorded a best official run of 5.87-seconds at 251.53-mph in Pro Mod.
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.
Although he has decided to concentrate primarily on the Pro Mod class this season, T.J. recently drove his Super Gas Corvette to a fourth round finish at the Lucas Oil Series event at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Troy will be making his 2015 season debut in the Super Comp class.
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 Coughlin is a two-time North Central Division champion in the Top Sportsman class. He won titles in 2007 and 2009.
During his career, Mike has won 13 NHRA national event titles in 19 final rounds. Mike has won in three classes; Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, and Top Sportsman. In addition to his 13 NHRA national event titles, Mike also has 11 Lucas Oil Series divisional victories. He won his first LODRS title at Beech Bend Raceway Park in 1989.
Mike has raced in six Top Sportsman events this season and is currently ranked No. 26 in the national standings. This season is the first time that NHRA will crown a national champion in the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes.
Mike’s JEGS Camaro is capable of mid 6-second runs at speeds of over 210-mph, comparable to today’s NHRA Pro Stock cars. It is powered by an 832-cubic inch big block with electronic fuel injection.
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 Norwalk Nationals Edition
4 – JEGS Mail Order entries in action in Norwalk (2 Pro Mod, 1 Top Sportsman, 1 Super Comp)
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