Norwalk, Ohio (June 24-27)
This week’s NHRA event in Norwalk, Ohio will feature the JEGS Mail Order entries of Troy Coughlin Jr., (Pro Stock), Mike Coughlin (Top Dragster), and Paige Coughlin (Super Comp).
The JEGS Mail Order team will feature a new look this season with third-generation racer Troy Coughlin Jr. as the primary driver of the JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro Pro Stock entry.
Troy Coughlin Jr. is racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team which also includes Erica Enders, Alex Laughlin, and Aaron Stanfield. Troy’s crew chief is Mark Ingersoll, who has extensive experience as a championship winning tuner.
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 six events of the season, Troy Jr. is ranked No. 8 in the Camping World NHRA Pro Stock standings.
At the most recent NHRA event in Epping, N.H., Troy Jr. qualified his JEGS.com Camaro in the No. 8 position and defeated Kenny Delco in round one. He ultimately lost to Greg Anderson in the quarterfinals.
So far this season, Troy Jr. has a 7-6 record in Pro Stock elimination rounds.
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.
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 11-12 in Pro Stock eliminations.
So far this season, Troy Jr. has qualified in the top half of the Pro Stock field in five of six events. His best starting position has been No. 5 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta.
Troy Jr. is the 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.
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.
The Coughlin family has won four national events in Norwalk. Troy Coughlin Sr. and Mike Coughlin doubled-up in 2014 with wins in Pro Mod and Top Sportsman while Troy Jr. won the Top Alcohol Dragster title here in 2019. In addition, Samantha Coughlin, the wife of Jeg Jr., won the Norwalk Super Comp title in 2009.
Mike Coughlin is a two-time Division 3 champion in the Top Sportsman class (2007-2009) and the 2019 Division 3 Top Dragster champion. His crew chief is Tony Collier.
Mike is a 14-time NHRA national event winner. He has won national event titles in Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, Top Sportsman, and Top Dragster. Mike also won the Norwalk event in the Top Sportsman class in 2014.
Mike is also a two-time U.S. Nationals winner. He won the Pro Stock Truck class in 1999 and 2001.
Mike opened the 2021 season with a runner-up finish at the Lucas Oil Series divisional event in Gainesville, Fla. He also competed in the NHRA Gatornationals, posting a round two finish.
Last season, Mike won the Division 3 event in Bowling Green, Ky., on his way to a third place finish in the North Central Division Top Dragster standings.
Mike began his career in the Super Gas and Super Comp classes in the 1980s and has extensive experience in the heads-up “super classes”
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 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 (NHRA Norwalk Nationals)
3: JEGS.com drivers in action this week in Norwalk, Mike, Paige, and Troy Coughlin Jr.
4: National event wins in Norwalk for the Coughlin family
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.