Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.) Aug. 27-Sept. 1
The Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis will also mark the seventh race in the ten-event 2014 NHRA Pro Mod Series. Former series champion Troy Coughlin will be behind the wheel of turbocharged JEGS.com Chevy Corvette.
Troy enters the U.S. Nationals as the ninth-ranked Pro Mod driver in the series. He is currently 101-points out of first place.
Troy was the winner a the most recent NHRA Pro Mod Series event in Norwalk, Ohio. At that race, Troy qualified No. 6 in the field and drove to wins over Eric Latino, Mike Janis, Rickie Smith, and Von Smith. In the final round, Troy used a starting line holeshot to take a 5.94 to 5.92 win over Smith.
Troy is one of just seven Pro Mod racers who have qualified for all six events contested this season. His best performance thus far has come in Norwalk, where he was the No. 6 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.
At the 2013 U.S. Nationals, Troy qualified No. 12 in the Pro Mod field and defeated Tim Tindle and Kevin Fiscus before losing a close 5.94 to 5.95 race against Rickie Smith in the semifinals.
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 nine NHRA national event wins in 23 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.
Troy’s JEGS.com Corvette is 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.
The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. has combined for 104 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.
Collectively, the Coughlin family has won the U.S. Nationals eight times. Jeg Coughlin Jr. has four wins (three in Pro Stock and one in Super Gas). Troy, won the Super Gas title in 1991. Mike collected two wins in the Pro Stock Truck class in 1999 and 2001 and third generation racer Troy Coughlin Jr. won the Super Comp title in 2010. In addition, John Coughlin won the U.S. Nationals as a car owner in 2005 when Brad Plourd drove his JEGS Mail Order dragster to the Super Comp title.
JEGS family patriarch Jeg Coughlin Sr. drove to two U.S. Nationals finals during his career. He was runner-up in Little Eliminator in 1959 and runner-up in Pro Comp in 1975.
Troy Coughlin – By the Numbers
NHRA U.S. Nationals Edition
1 – U.S. Nationals victory for Troy Coughlin (1991 Super Gas)
4 – JEGS Mail Order entries in action at Indy in the following classes; Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Super Comp and Super Gas
8 – Wins for the Coughlin family at the U.S. Nationals
9 Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory
104 – Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family