John Coughlin is in the midst of one of the most successful seasons of his career and he’s hoping that the ride doesn’t end any time soon. Coughlin heads into this weekend’s third annual JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals as the points leader in Top Dragster and Super Stock in the North Central Division. Driving two new race cars, he’s won four events this season, three in his JEGS.com Top Dragster and one in his Super Stock Chevy Cobalt.
“This has absolutely been one of the most amazing years I can remember but it isn’t over yet,” said Coughlin. “We’ve still got a lot of racing left to do and right now, my top priority is the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals. This race is at my home track, National Trail Raceway and we’ve got a lot of family, friends, and associates from JEGS Mail Order coming out to support us so naturally I want to give them something to cheer about.”
Coughlin won the Super Stock title at the Lucas Oil Series event at Atco (N. J.) Dragway last weekend to take the lead in the battle for the North Central Division championship. Now he will be looking to extend his win streak and solidify his position among the top ten drivers in the nation.
“In Super Stock, I can still earn points at three national events so I have a good chance to finish in the top ten which is a huge accomplishment,” Coughlin explained. “Our crew really deserves the credit for making this new Cobalt competitive. Since the beginning of the season, they’ve been steadily working on it and now, it is very consistent. The car is an absolute pleasure to drive.”
In the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class, Coughlin has already competed in eight events, the maximum allowed in which to earn points. He currently enjoys a comfortable lead in the standings, and has now assumed the role of a blocker. Coughlin will compete in the 48-car eliminator, and is also one of the eighth invitees to Saturday’s JEGS Top Dragster Shootout, a special bonus event which pays $3,000 to the champion.
“The first time I drove my new Undercover Chassis dragster I knew it was going to be a very competitive race car and it has getting the job done all year long,” said Coughlin, who drove the 7-second dragster to wins in Orlando, Fla., Joliet, Ill., and Bowling Green, Ky., this season. “Right now, I’m in pretty good shape as far as the championship is concerned. Now, I’m just going to concentrate on winning some rounds this weekend. I’m especially looking forward to the JEGS Top Dragster Shootout. The other seven drivers I’ll be racing against are the best of the best and I’m expecting it to be one of the toughest races of the year. The way things have gone this year, I think our JEGS team is up for the challenge.”
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