Reigning North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion Troy Coughlin Jr. scored his second victory of the 2019 season Saturday at the Division 1 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series points meet at Atco Dragway.
After qualifying No. 1 in the competitive field with a 5.233 at 277.26 mph Friday, Coughlin crushed Frank Schuster, class heavyweight Duane Shields and Josh Hart to gain some valuable ground in the North East Division, where he is claiming points this year.
“NHRA drag racing is the coolest sport and the best group of people you’ll ever meet,” Coughlin said. “We blew up the motor in the semifinals against Duane Shields and the clock was ticking for us to do a complete engine swap before the final. My guys – Rich and Richie McPhillips, Duke Roney, John Flenard, Andy Goode, Charlie Wroten and Charlie Greco – along with my sister Paige, her crew chief Justin Beaver, and crew guys from a bunch of different teams all jumped in to help us. If not for all the help we wouldn’t have made it up there.
“To have people come and help you like that is extremely humbling and I’m very grateful. It’s the luckiest I’ve ever been to get up there like that when you are on a tight clock.
“It’s a huge family out here and I encourage you, if you have never been to a drag race, or you’ve never drag raced and you want to, to please consider it. It’s a great sport to raise kids in and you just can’t beat it.”
Coughlin’s win pairs well with his victory earlier this summer at the national event in Norwalk, Ohio. He also recorded runner-up finishes at the national events in Topeka and Houston, and the Northeast Regional event at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.
“Any win essentially parlays your way to a great shot at a Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series championship so we will see how it goes,” Coughlin said. “We’ve got some great people out there competing with us so, stay tuned.”
By the numbers, Coughlin beat Schuster with a 5.302 at 259.46 mph. Against Shields, both men struggled mightily during the race but Coughlin managed to get the win with a laboring 7.383 at 124.22 mph to Shields’ drifting 10.705 at 92.09 mph.
With a rebuilt car and the trophy on the line, Coughlin’s 5.556 at 263.98 mph was enough to turn on the win light ahead of Hart’s 8.816 at 208.01 mph.
Team JEGS PR
