Troy
Coughlin:
World champion.
It's a title Troy Coughlin chased for 22 years before finally claiming
the moniker for good in 2009 when he captured the Scorpion Performance
Pro Street championship in the Edelbrock National Muscle Car Association.
It was a long journey, but one Coughlin is quick to admit was well
worth the effort.
As a boy, Coughlin took great pride in the four NHRA North Central
Division championships his famous father Jeg Coughlin Sr. won between
1976-1980.
He also took immense pleasure in the multiple championships won by
his three brothers, Jeg Jr., Mike, and John, both at the divisional
and national levels.
But for all of his own racing accomplishments -- multiple victories
in NHRA Pro Stock competition, membership in the Holley Six-Second
Pro Stock Club, Speed Pro 200-mph Club, a trophy run at the exclusive
$50,000 Winston Showdown, various sportsman-level wins, and a memorable
weekend at the $50,000 Big Dog Shootout -- Troy could never break
through for his own series championship.
That all changed in 2009 when he unveiled a Jerry Haas-built JEGS.com
Pontiac GXP powered by a massive 830 cid Sonny Leonard racing engine
that produces nearly 1,900 horsepower. Troy's intention was to challenge
for NMCA's Pro Street title and he did so from the start of the season.
At or near the top of the point rankings all year, Coughlin claimed
national event wins in Chicago and Charlotte and reset the national
Pro Street record twice, finally lowering the bar to 6.277 seconds
at 225.08 mph by the end of the season.
It was a picture-perfect campaign, highlighted by Troy's adept driving
and the hard work of crewmen Brian Metzenheim, Mike Rees, and Clint
Allerton.
Troy boldly risked never achieving his championship goal a few years
ago when he elected to stop racing on the 24-race NHRA tour in order
to spend more time with his wife Julie and their four children, Troy
Jr., Meghan, Paige, and Kelly. But the shorter Pro Street and Pro
Mod schedules allowed him to stay in the sport and four years later
his perseverance paid the ultimate dividend.
Fast Facts
DOB: June 30, 1964
Hometown: Delaware, Ohio
Wife: Julie
Children: Meghan, Troy Jr., Paige and Kelly
Sponsor: JEGS Mail Order
Primary Car: 2007 Pontiac GTO, ProMod
Career National event wins: 4
Career Divisional event wins: 2 (Super Comp)
Career Best ET: 6.12
Career Best Mph: 232.04
Began Racing: 1987
Began Pro Stock: 1994
First Career Win: 1991 NHRA Lucas Oil Series event, Beech Bend Raceway
Park (Super Comp)
First National Event Win: 2001 NHRA 50th anniversary Nationals, Reading,
Pa. (Pro Stock)
First Career NHRA national event win (sportsman): 1991 NHRA U.S. Nationals,
Indianapolis, Ind. (Super Gas)
Race Stats
Troy Championships
Year Event Location Class By Cls
2002 O'Reily Nationals Topeka, KS Pro Stock
2001 NHRA 50th Nationals Reading, PA Pro Stock
2000 Winston Showdown Bristol,TN Pro Stock
1991 U.S. Nationals Indianapolis,IN Super Gas
Troy Divisional Wins
1993 Indianapolis Raceway Park Indianapolis, IN Super Gas
1991 Beech Bend Raceway Bowling Green, KY Super Comp
Troy Final Rounds
Year Event Result Opponent
2003 Reading R/U Warren Johnson
2003 Phoenix R/U Greg Anderson
2002 Bristol LET
2002 Bristol Q1
2002 Topeka Win Mark Whisnant
2001 Reading Win Tom Martino
2000 Chicago R/U Ron Krisher
2000 Gainesville R/U Warren Johnson
1999 Pomona-2 Q1
1999 Topeka R/U Mike Edwards
1999 Denver R/U Jeg Coughlin
1999 Chicago R/U Warren Johnson
1999 Phoenix R/U Kurt Johnson
1998 Pomona-1 R/U Jeg Coughlin
1997 Columbus R/U Tom Martino
Troy Special Events
2005 NMCA Barett perf. Nationals Valdosta, GA. Pro Street
2005 Big Dog Challenge Champion Piedmont, NC Big Dog
Career Highlights
’08 Results:
Competed in the JEGS ProMod Challenge Series behind the wheel of
a supercharged ’68 Chevy Camaro.
Emerged uninjured from an accident at Atlanta Dragway but was sidelined
for four months while building a new car.
Recorded a personal best 6.01-second run at the NHRA event In Ennis,
Texas
’07 Results:
Raced in the AMS Pro Mod Series with his Jegs Mail Order Pontiac
GTO, one of the first Pro Mod vehicles to feature a turbocharged engine.
Became the first driver in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge
series to win a round of competition with a turbocharged car after
beating Doug Palmer in Bristol, Tenn.
’06 Results:
Won Top Sportsman Shootout title at the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals
in Belle Rose, La., after qualifying No. 1.
Posted four runner-up finishes in the Denso Pro Street class at the
Jegs NMCA Hot Rod and Muscle Car Nationals at National Trail Raceway,
the Ross Pistons Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.,
the Nitto Tires Nationals in Commerce, Ga., and the NMCA World Finals
in Memphis, Tenn.
Finished second in the NMCA Denso Pro Street points standings.
’05 Results:
Made the move from Pro Stock to the new Pro Mod class, driving a
supercharged Team Jegs '67 Shelby GT500 Mustang.
Finished 6th in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge Series points
standings.
Recorded a career best 6.12 at over 232-mph, making him the quickest
and fastest of the four Coughlin brothers.
Also built a Chevy Cavalier for National Muscle Car Association (NMCA)
Fastest Street Car competition, running in the Denso Pro Street Class.
Won NMCA event at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga.
Finished 6th in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Series
Rookie year in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Series
Won 1st AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Series event at Old Bridge raceway
Park (Englishtown, NJ).
Partnered with Mike Ashley's Gotham City Racing in ProMod.
Won prestigious $50,000 Big Dog - North vs. South Shootout and was
a first time competitor.
Finished 9th in the NMCA in Denso Pro Street Championship.
Rookie year competing in NMCA Pro Street.
Won JEGS Family Fun Day - Slow Bracket title.
’04 Results:
Ran a limited schedule of NHRA Pro Stock events, finishing 22nd in
the points standings
Announced plans to compete in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Series
in 2005
’03 Results:
Finished #13 in the 2003 NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock championship
2 runner-up (Phoenix, AZ & Reading, PA) finishes
Posted career best ET and mph.
’02 Results:
1 NHRA national event win in Pro Stock (Topeka, Kan.)
’01 Results:
First Pro Win (Pep Boys NHRA National-Reading, PA.)
Made second fastest run in Pro Stock history 203.83 mph. (Reading,
PA.)
’00 Results:
Finished 6th in the Pro Stock NHRA Winston Championship.
Qualified for all events, one of five.
Winner of the prestigious Winston Showdown
2 Runner-up finishes in Pro Stock
Runner-up finish in the ’00 Holley Dominator Duel (All-star
race).
’99 Results:
Finished 6th in NHRA Winston Championship, career best finish.
6 Runner-up finishes.
Became the 9th member of the Federal-Mogul Speed Pro 200 mph Club
on May 1, 1999 (Dinwiddie, VA)
Qualified No. 1 at the Auto Club NHRA Finals, career first.
’98 Results:
Finished 14th in NHRA Winston Championship
’97 Results:
Finished 8th in NHRA Winston Championship
Runner-up finish at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals, first professional
final round appearance.
Became the 11th member of The Holley Six Second Club
Qualified for the ’97 Dupont Pro Stock Challenge
’96 Results:
Finished 11th in NHRA Winston Championship
’95 Results:
Finished 17th in the NHRA Winston Championship
’94 Results:
Finished 24th in the NHRA Winston Championship
’93 Results:
Finished 6th in NHRA Lucas Oil Division 3 championship in Super Gas
One NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional win in Super Comp (Indianapolis, IN)
Competed in UDRA/MWPA Pro Stock events
Competed in Top Sportsman & Quick 8 events
’92 Results:
One JEGS Allstars Race runner-up finish in Super Comp (Columbus, OH)
’91 Results:
Finished 2nd in Division 3 Super Comp standings
One NHRA national event win in Super Gas (Indianapolis, IN)
One NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional wins in Super Comp (Bowling Green, KY)
’90 Results:
Competed in Super Comp & Super Gas
’89 Results:
Competed in Super Comp & Super Gas
’88 Results:
Won NHRA Sportsman National Open in Super Gas (Bowling Green, KY)
’87 Results:
Competed in Super Gas
Personal
Vice President 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. Son Troy Jr. races in Super Comp.
Enjoys spending time with family and shopping.
Drivers:
John Coughlin
Troy Coughlin
Mike Coughlin
Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Troy Coughlin Jr.
Cody Coughlin