Bristol Dragway (Bristol, Tenn.) June 17-19
This week’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will feature the JEGS Mail Order Pro Stock entry of Troy Coughlin Jr. The third-generation driver will also be competing in Super Gas.
Troy Jr. will once again be racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team which also includes world champions Erica Enders, Bo Butner, and Aaron Stanfield. Troy’s crew chief is Mark Ingersoll, who has extensive experience as a championship winning tuner.
Troy Coughlin Jr. is entering his second full season of Pro Stock competition. Last year, Troy Jr, finished No. 6 in the Camping World NHRA Pro Stock standings. In 17 events, Troy Jr. compiled an 18-17 record in elimination rounds with a runner-up finish in Gainesville to go with six semifinals.
During qualifying for the Gainesville event in March, Troy Jr. made his best run in a Pro Stock car at 6.528 seconds with a career-best speed of 211.93 mph.
After six events this season, Troy Jr. is ranked No. 10 in the highly competitive Pro Stock category. He is just 15 points behind No. 9 Deric Kramer and 19 points behind Bo Butner, who is No. 8.
Earlier this year in Las Vegas, Troy Jr. debuted a new Chevy Camaro built by RJ Race Cars. During its maiden voyage, Troy Jr. ran a 6.667 to qualify No. 5 in the tough field.
This will be Troy Jr’s first time racing Pro Stock in Bristol since the class was not contested at the 2021 event. However, the Coughlin family has five wins at the historic facility. Troy Sr. won the Pro Stock title in 2000 and later won Pro Mod in 2007. Uncle Jeg Coughlin Jr. earned Bristol Pro Stock wins in 1999, 2007, and 2018.
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 during his career.
Since making his Pro Stock debut in 2020, Troy Jr., has competed in 31 events and qualified for 29 of them. He qualified No. 1 at last year’s Topeka event.
Overall, Troy Jr. has a 27-29 record in Pro Stock elimination rounds.
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.
Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 128 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 Thunder Valley Nationals)
5: Wins for the Coughlin family at Bristol Dragway
8: NHRA national event wins for Troy Coughlin Jr. in 3 different classes (Top Alcohol Dragster, Super Comp, Super Gas).
10: Troy Coughlin Jr’s current rank in the Pro Stock standings after 6 of 18 events
11: Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory
128: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family
231: Combined NHRA national event final rounds for the Coughlin family.