Jeg Coughlin Jr. admits he s not a big gambler, but he does know a thing or two about numbers, statistics, and probability. As the 23-event POWERade Drag Racing Series heads to Las Vegas, Coughlin thinks its time to pad his impressive record in the Pro Stock class and he believes his front-running Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevrolet Cobalt can carry him to the top of the betting form.
In just 193 NHRA national event starts in a Pro Stock car, the 36-year-old Coughlin has already won 34 races in 52 final-round appearances, the fifth-best record in history. A few quick clicks on a calculator deduces that Coughlin earns a trophy every 5.7 races on average, while reaching the final round at a stunning rate of every 3.7 events.
“We ve had great successes over the years, ” said Coughlin, who turned pro 10 years ago, “and what s exciting is that to a large extent it feels like we re just getting started. “
A big part of that sentiment could be attributed to the fact Coughlin recently joined Victor Cagnazzi s operation. Last fall, in anticipation of running for this year s title, Coughlin entered one of Cagnazzi s hot rods in three races near the end of the schedule. When combined with the first four races of 2007, Coughlin has qualified in the top half of the field six times and has six elimination-round wins to his credit with the team, including a run to the semifinals from the No. 1 qualifying position at the last race in Houston.
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