Home State Pro Mod Winner

Ohio native Troy Coughlin raced to his first victory of the season in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Series during the eighth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park…..

The race is the sixth of 10 events in 2014 for NHRA’s popular 250-mph doorslammer touring series.

Troy Coughlin took the final round victory at the controls of his turbocharged JEGS.com Chevy Corvette, beating Von Smith and his supercharged Al-Anabi Racing Camaro with a holeshot performance of 5.940 seconds at 250.92 mph. Smith, who has been in three final rounds this season with one win, managed to close the gap at half-track but finished with a 5.920 at 243.99. This is Coughlin’s first victory at his home track.

Troy Coughlin wheeled his Jegs turbocharged Corvette to a victory in Norwalk Ohio last weekend

Coughlin’s win, his first of the season, came not long after brother Mike won in Top Sportsman.

“Any time one of us wins it is sweet,” Coughlin said. “I was standing down at the finish line when Mikey’s win light came on. I’m like, ‘Wow!’ I was jumping up and down ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to get up here and have our crack at it, too.”

Coughlin earned the victory with a holeshot over Von Smith in the final round. Coughlin ripped off a .018-second reaction time, getting a .107-second advantage on the starting line.

“Von is fast,” Coughlin said. “He was faster than us and was driving a little bit better, so we knew we had to dig deep and get it tuned up a little bit. The track looked like it was going to take it. I was backing up from the burnout and I said, ‘Let’s try and leave with him because I know we can run with him.’

“When I put it in the second stage light, it was a little deep into it, so it probably killed another three-hundredths, but we had a good hot rod today, no doubt.”

Danny Rowe set low ET of the event at 5.875 secs to qualify #1

Coughlin, the No. 6 qualifier, earned a holeshot win over Eric Latino in the first round Saturday before taking out Mike Janis in the second round Sunday. Coughlin’s run of 5.950 at 249.63 mph easily outdistanced Janis’ slowing pass of 6.599 seconds at 167.84 mph.

That put him up against Rickie Smith in the semifinals in a matchup of the two most recent Pro Mod champs. Coughlin left first again with a .045 light, and he outran Smith with a lap of 5.940 at 250.32 mph, beating Smith’s 5.946-second run at 245.94 mph.

Smith had lane choice in the final, and Coughlin and his team, led by crew chief Steve Petty, were up to the task.

“Steve has done an awesome job on this thing all weekend,” Coughlin said. “He’s been keeping it consistent, keeping it fast, keeping it from having problems. He and Brian (Metzenhiem) and Kyle (Pettis) and Mike (Rees) were perfect. It was just a perfect weekend for us.”

With the victory, Coughlin jumped to ninth in the Pro Mod points standings.

Kevin Fiscus set top speed (again) in Pro Mod – this time at 250.97 mph

Event Essentials – Summit Racing Nationals 

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Kenny Lang was one of two Canadian cars that qualified at Norwalk

The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues Aug. 27-Sept. 1 at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

Photos by: Steve Embling

RPM Event Sponsorship Update

This past weekend in Norwalk, Troy Coughlin took home the Pro Mod Wally at the 2014 NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, defeating Von Smith in the final round. Smith did not leave the event empty handed; he took home the Larry Jeffer’s Race Cars performance bonus for best reaction time. Smith cut a .017 in the semi-finals against Pete Farber.

Several other RPM drivers took home cash bonuses from RedHorse Performance. Kenny Lang, Bob Rahaim, Mike Castellana, Bill Glidden, Steven Whiteley, Clint Satterfield, Gerry Capano and Eric Latino took home $300 for their first round finishes. $500 bonuses were given to Danny Rowe, Steve Matusek, Kevin Fiscus and Mike Janis. Pete Farber and Rickie Smith each took home $750 for making it to the semi-finals.

Prizes from several sponsors were also given out at the RPM drivers meeting held on Friday in Norwalk at the hospitality tent for event sponsor, Mid Atlantic Energy Services. JE Pistons handed out $250 gift certificates to Don Walsh Jr, Clint Satterfield, Bob Rahaim and Mike Biehle. Billy Glidden took home $3,000 of Mickey Thompson Performance Wheels. Gerry Capano and Mike Janis have new Powerocks chargers and Doug Winters won a case of Brakleen from CRC Industries.