NHRA Pro Mod Finale Includes Jegs Milestone

Defending 2012 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series champion Troy Coughlin ended his 2013 racing season on a high note by winning during that series’ season-ending event….

Troy drove his Ohio-based and Jegs-sponsored turbocharged Corvette to victory during NHRA’s Toyota Nationals held at Las Vegas.   The win was a truly significant one for the Jegs family racing operation – the 100th NHRA national event victory for that group.

Coughlin was quickest in three of the four rounds of eliminations in Vegas. He had a bye in the second round Sunday, but still made a solid pass of 5.889 seconds at 246.75 mph to advance to the semifinals. There, he and Mike Knowles had identical reaction times, but Coughlin’s run of 5.902 seconds at 247.29 mph overpowered Knowles’ 5.938-second pass at 243.85 mph.

The last NHRA Pro Mod final of the season saw Troy Coughlin defeat Danny Rowe. (Auto Imagery Photo)

In the final against Danny Rowe, Coughlin had a stellar .047-second reaction time to get an .056-second jump, and he was never headed. Coughlin’s pass was 5.913 seconds at 248.34 mph to take down Rowe’s run of 5.975 at 242.63 mph.

“I couldn’t tell you who staged first or who staged second,” Coughlin said. “When you’re in the zone, you’re in the zone. We just need to stay there.”

A short time later Troy dedicated the 100th national event win to his brother Jeg, who is the NHRA points leader for Pro Stock and who is poised to capture that World Championship title in two weeks at Pomona.  Jeg Coughlin has amassed 72 wins within the family total.

Troy signed the base of the trophy with: To Jeg: You’ve paved the way to the 100th. This one’s for you. Love, Troy.

“I handed it to him down at the finish line,” Coughlin said. “It’s pretty neat. It’s a proud moment for the family, and to be able to dedicate this to him, there’s nothing better. That’s pretty special. Not many teams in any form of Motorsports can say they won 100 major titles,” he added.

The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr., and Troy Jr., has combined for 100 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlins have won in nine different categories, including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.

Troy now has eight national-event victories, including two this season. His victory Sunday moved him to second in the final points standings a season after winning the Pro Mod championship.

The Pro Mod racing program was another solid affair featuring terrific racing and a swift bump spot of 6.079 secs.

The event’s performance star was the turbocharged Ford Mustang driven by Todd Tutterow which set both low ET and top speed of the meet at 5.876 secs and 250.69 mph before while take the pole.  Tutterow was however then a surprising first round victim when the car shook it’s tires hard versus his Galot Motorsports teammate Kevin Rivenbark the #16 qualifier.

Todd Tutterow qualified #1 and set both low ET and top speed.

Rickie Smith – who clinched the 2013 NHRA Championship one race earlier – lost in round #2 at Las Vegas

Posted with files from Bruce Biegler & Scott Woodruff

Photos by:  Marc Gewertz