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Troy standing with legendary Jeg Sr.
Troy Coughlin

Troy Coughlin could have taken an easier route in 2007, but that's just not the way the lifelong drag racer is wired. Coming off a career-best runner-up finish in the National Muscle Car Association world rankings, the second of four racing Coughlin brothers could have made another charge at the NMCA title. Instead, he decided to change direction and debut a brand-new, twin-turbo-charged JEGS.com Pontiac GTO in the AMS Staff Leasing ProMod Challenge, which competes at select events each year on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

In a class dominated for years by Nitrous and Super-charged entries, Coughlin and his talented group of mechanics executed a mini version of reinventing the wheel. Instead of making a concerted run at the AMS title with a tried and true combination, they elected to sort out a new car, combination, and tune-up just to see if it could be done.

Coughlin and crew came a long way in 12 months time and now hope their exhaustive efforts will deliver them a real chance at race wins and championship points in 2008 and beyond.

It would seem silly to bet against Coughlin as his racing resume is dotted with impressive achievements. Since the late 1980s, the Delaware, Ohio-based racer has been zipping down quarter-miles from Englishtown, N.J., to Pomona, Calif., winning trophies and setting records at many points in between.

He was the first Super Comp racer in history to top 180 mph. It was also in that class in 2001 that he scored his first win at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green Ky., and his first national event victory -- the prestigious U.S. Nationals, the sport's longest-running and most important event.

Not surprisingly, Troy was the first Coughlin boy to follow in his father Jeg Sr.'s footsteps and race professionally, entering a Pro Stock car in the Spring-nationals at his home track of National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio, in 1994.

Coughlin had a fruitful 10-year run in the cutthroat class, with a pair of victories in 10 final-round showings. He earned membership in the ultra-exclusive Holley Six-Second Pro Stock Club in 1997 and was the envy of drag racing in 2000 when he scored $50,000 for winning the Winston Showdown. That same year he also took runner-up honors in the first brother vs. brother final round of the Holley Dominator Duel specialty event to his youngest sibling, Jeg Coughlin Jr.

His career in Pro Stock was highlighted by consecutive sixth-place finishes in 1999 and 2000.

With a growing family that includes wife Julie and their four children, Troy Jr., Megan, Paige, and Kelly, Coughlin elected to pull out of the class in 2005 to avoid its grueling 23-race schedule and prerequisite travel and media obligations. To keep himself busy, he drove a variety of cars at various regional events to much success in the next two years, including another $50,000 pay day at the annual Big Dog Shootout at Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, N.C., widely recognized as the toughest Sportsman level race in the country.

These days, when he's not perfecting his twin-turbo ProMod entry, Troy is usually tinkering with his teenaged son Troy Jr.'s Super Gas car.

Personal

  • Work for family owned business, JEGS Mail Order
  • Older brother John races in Top Dragster and Super Stock, younger brother Mike races in Top Sportsman and younger brother Jeg races in Pro Stock.
  • Actively involved in Jr. Drag Racing, Meghan & Troy Jr race.
  • Enjoys spending time with family and shopping.

 

 

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Pro Stock
1 Greg Anderson1,033
2 Kurt Johnson954
3 Jason Line944
Next Event: July 25-27
21st annual Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals
Sonoma, Calif. (PSM)
 
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