Jegs
Choice of throwback car design for U.S. Nationals an easy one for Jeg Coughlin Jr.
DELAWARE, OH – When the drivers in the NHRA Pro Stock class got together and decided to run throwback car designs at this year’s 66th 
annual Denso Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals, five-time class champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. was quick to select his favorite ride.
“It was pretty easy for us to pick the 2000 design we used to win our first Pro Stock championship, which also happened to be the car I drove to my first Indy win in Pro Stock that same year,” Coughlin said. “Fortunately, when we started to overlay that design on my current JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, it really seemed to fit really well. It was meant to be!”
Already a world champion after winning the 1992 Super Gas title, Coughlin was just a few years into his pro career when he entered the 2000 U.S. Nationals with a very competitive JEGS.com-branded Oldsmobile Cutlass. He was the runaway points leader, having won seven of the first 15 races of the year, and the chase pack seemed to be getting smaller and smaller in his rear-view mirror.
JEGS SPORTSnationals set for first stop at historic New England Dragway
EPPING, NH – Just weeks after the successful conclusion of JEGS Speedweek at National Trail Raceway, the popular JEGS SPORTSnationals 
will make its first stop in the Northeast this Thursday-Sunday at historic New England Dragway.
The event, which will be run in conjunction with an NHRA Division 1 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, will crown champions in eight different classes: Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman. Established in 1974 at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky., the SPORTSnationals has become a popular showcase for NHRA’s best sportsman drag racers. Over the last 46 years, the event has made stops in Denver, Indianapolis, Houston, Las Vegas, Fontana, Calif., Hebron, Ohio, and Belle Rose, La.
At the recent JEGS Speedweek race at National Trail Raceway, sportsman star Anthony Bertozzi made history by winning a record fifth JEGS SPORTSnationals title. Bertozzi won the Top Dragster title by beating the JEGS.com dragster of Mike Coughlin in the final.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. pads Pro Stock points lead by beating nephew Troy Jr. at third Indy race
INDIANAPOLIS – Five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. earned a little breathing room in the Mello Yello championship points 
standings Sunday with a solid victory at the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Coughlin, a veteran of 451 Pro Stock races, beat nephew Troy Coughlin Jr. in the final in what was just Troy Jr.’s second start in the category.
Entering the race just eight points ahead of Jason Line, Jeg Jr. now has a 44-point edge against his chief challenger. Jeg Jr. also stretched his advantage over teammate and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders from 15 to 77 points.
“Had a helluva day with a really special ending; I couldn’t be happier,” Jeg Jr. said. “We were third-best through qualifying with Rickie (Jones, crew chief) trying a few little things Saturday, but went back to our tried-and-true set-up today and got the job done, despite not having the best car on the property today. We just worked at it and kept our heads down and here we are now with another trophy.
Pro Stock leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. plans to remain on the offensive at Indy 3
Total of five Team JEGS cars are entered at Lucas Oil Raceway
INDIANAPOLIS – Pro Stock points leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. is used to keeping his foot on the gas, something the six-time world champion 
promises to continue when drag racing returns to Lucas Oil Raceway for this weekend’s Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals, the third straight national event at the historic quarter-mile strip.
“I think we’re all coming to the realization of how quickly things can change during this pandemic,” Coughlin Jr. said. “We’ve seen races being rescheduled, postponed or even cancelled outright this year so we’re just going to treat every single one we go to like it’s the final race of the Countdown to the Championship and the title is on the line.
“Really, dating back to last year’s championship chase, Rickie (Jones, crew chief) has been very aggressive with the tune-up and the JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro has really responded well. We finished strong last year and we’re off to an incredible start this year so there’s no reason to change our tactics.”
Coughlin powered from eighth to second place in the six races of last year’s championship charge, racing to a win and two runner-up results in the final three events. This year, he’s got a win and a runner-up in the three national events contested so far.
Mike Coughlin looking for more after runner-up finish at SPORTSnationals
Makenna Brown continues to gain experience in Super Comp
TOPEKA, KS – It’s going to be another busy weekend for Team JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin and Makenna Brown as they head to 
Heartland Motorsports Park for a double-header weekend of Division 5 action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Reigning Division 3 Top Dragster champion Mike Coughlin is fresh off an impressive runner-up result at the annual JEGS SPORTSnationals, which concluded Sunday at National Trail Raceway in Ohio. His team, led by crew chief Greg Cody, hope to help the boss go one step further in Kansas.
“That was our first race of the year and we really didn’t have any issues at all,” Coughlin said. “We got as close to a win as you can get without winning but when you run into a guy like Anthony Bertozzi you know you’re racing one of the top 2-3 racers in the world. Every once in a while, you need a little luck. It’s hard to win round after round at this level.
“The JEGS.com dragster is happy, I’m pleased with my driving, and the guys — Greg, Tony Collier, Dave Ruark and Ryan Micke — are working well together. We had an awesome start and I hope it continues. When you have a situation like this where everything is clicking it’s just so much fun to race.”
Anthony Bertozzi nips Mike Coughlin to earn record fifth SPORTSnationals title
HEBRON, OH – Anthony Bertozzi, one of NHRA’s most decorated sportsman drag racers, passed another milestone Monday when he drove 
to the Top Dragster title during the rain-delayed final rounds at the JEGS SPORTSnationals. Bertozzi is now the most successful driver in the history of the event with five titles.
A total of 11 champions were crowned out of a starting field of more than 600 drivers who attended JEGS Speedweek at historic National Trail Raceway. In addition to Bertozzi, Chad Voges (Comp), Jeff Dona (Super Stock), Eric Campolito (Stock), Phillip Oakley (Super Comp), Dwight Nuest (Super Gas), Mark Smith (Super Street), John Benoit (Top Sportsman), and Bruce Sauer (Sportsman Motorcycle) all racked up wins.
Earlier in the weekend, Megan Meyer and D.J. Cox, each earned titles in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, respectively. All of the SPORTSnationals champions received a coveted copper NHRA Wally trophy.
Bertozzi earned his 24th NHRA national event title when he defeated Team JEGS driver Mike Coughlin in the final round. Like Bertozzi, Coughlin also has experienced a tremendous amount of success in SPORTSnationals races with four previous victories. In one of the best side-by-side races of the weekend, both drivers were nearly perfect off the starting line, but the win light shone in Bertozzi’s lane after Coughlin broke out with a 6.16 on his 6.18-second prediction. Despite the loss, it was hard for Coughlin to call the weekend anything other than a success.
JEGS SPEEDweek advances to more action with JEGS SPORTSnationals
HEBRON, OH – One day after winners were crowned in the Division 3 Lucas Oil Series event, JEGS Speedweek remained at full speed as the 
fields were set for the annual JEGS SPORTSnationals race.
Saturday’s packed schedule at National Trail Raceway included qualifying and elimination rounds for Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. Also on the docket was the opening round in Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street drivers, plus class eliminations for Super Stock and Stock drivers.
Reigning world champion Megan Meyer and De l Cox Jr. emerged as the respective top qualifiers in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, two categories making their first SPORTSnationals appearance since 1985. Meyer drove to a 5.225-second elapsed time and also won her first-round race. She’ll be joined in the semifinals by Jackie Fricke, Mike Bucher, and Josh Hart.
Cox drove his Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car to a 5.518-second pass to lead Top Alcohol Funny Car. Like Meyer, Cox also emerged as a winner from Round 1 and is joined by two-time world champion Sean Bellemeur, Drew Hales, and Chris Foster in the final four.
First Division 3 race crowns winners as JEGS Speedweek powers forward
HEBRON, OH – Ronnie Bohn, Michael Volkman, and Doug Duell were among the winners crowned Friday night as part of the Division 3 Lucas Oil Series event at National Trail Raceway. Bohn won in Comp Eliminator, Volkman earned the Super Stock title, and Duell won in Stock Eliminator.
The other champions crowned Friday evening included Michael Handras (Super Comp), Greg Slack (Super Gas), Robert Bauer (Super Street), Danny Nelson (Top Dragster), and Curt Fredrich (Top Sportsman).
The North Central Division Lucas Oil Series event marks the first of two races that make up JEGS Speedweek, an event that has attracted more than 600 of the nation’s best sportsman drag racers.
Bohn drove his six-cylinder powered dragster to a victory over past JEGS SPORTSnationals winner Mike Farrell in the final round of Comp. Bohn, was the No. 2 qualifier in the quick field while Farrell was sixth quickest at the start of eliminations.
More than 600 racers fill National Trail Raceway as JEGS Speedweek begins
HEBRON, OH – Build it and they will come. The NHRA North Central Division and JEGS Mail Order worked together to organize JEGS Speedweek, which kicked off Thursday with more than 600 of the nation’s best sportsman drag racers getting to work at National Trail Raceway.
The historic event combines the first Lucas Oil Series Division 3 race of the season with the annual JEGS.com SPORTSnationals. The Division 3 race will take place Thursday and Friday, followed by the JEGS SPORTSnationals on Saturday and Sunday.
After Thursday’s opening rounds of qualifying, Frank Affronti (Comp), Rich South (Super Stock), Gary Summers (Stock), Lester Johnson (Top Sportsman) and J.B. Strassweg (Top Dragster) lead their respective fields. Racers in Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and Sportsman Motorcycle also made time trial runs in preparation for Friday’s eliminations.
Comp leader Frank Affronti – Affronti drove his Chevy Cobalt to a run of 7.337 seconds to lead the Comp Eliminator field. A finalist at the 1999 U.S. Nationals, Affronti was able to hold off Ronnie Bohn, Scott Chamness, and Greg Kamplain, who all made solid qualifying runs themselves. Defending JEGS SPORTSnationals Comp winner Terry Smith is seeded No. 10 in the field. Smith can earn the coveted JEGS Crown trophy should he prevail during Sunday’s final eliminations.
Team JEGS expands to five drivers for JEGS Speedweek doubleheader
HEBRON, OH – There will be plenty of JEGS yellow and black at one of the high-performance auto parts giant’s biggest events of the year, 
JEGS Speedweek, a double-header race taking place Thursday-Sunday at historic National Trail Raceway.
Reigning divisional and regional champions Mike Coughlin and Troy Coughlin Jr. will be joined by Paige Coughlin, Makenna Brown and Jeff Taylor in representing JEGS.com in a variety of classes in both races.
JEGS Speedweek combines the first Lucas Oil Series Division 3 race of the season with the annual JEGS.com SPORTSnationals, a special national event exclusively for Sportsman racers. The D3 race will take place Thursday and Friday, followed by the SPORTSnationals on Saturday and Sunday.
“We have a whole lot of racing ahead of us this weekend and I’m very excited about it,” said Mike, the reigning D3 Top Dragster champion. “Aside from a little spin I took in Tony Collier’s bracket car a few weeks at Dragway 42, I haven’t raced since last fall so I’m absolutely ready to get back on the racetrack.
