NHRA
Phoenix: Jeg Coughlin Jr final report
Semifinal finish puts Coughlin four points from first place PHOENIX (Feb. 24) -- Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champion drew within four points of the No. 1 ranking in the world with a strong semifinal showing Sunday at the 24th annual CSK ...
Published: Feb 28, 2008, 6:46 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Semifinal finish puts Coughlin four points from first place
PHOENIX (Feb. 24) -- Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champion drew within four points of the No. 1 ranking in the world with a strong semifinal showing Sunday at the 24th annual CSK Nationals. Coughlin beat sophomore racer Justin Humphreys and six-time world champ Warren Johnson before losing to veteran V. Gaines by just one-thousandth of a second.
Coughlin actually had the better racecar against Gaines, running a 6.654 at 207.59 mph to Gaines' 6.676 at 205.66, but a quick .007-second start by Gaines against Coughlin's respectable but slower .030-second launch made for a .0013-second difference at the other end.
"V.'s been racing lights-out today and he got me at the Tree," Coughlin said. "We had the better car, as the numbers bear out, but we ran out of racetrack. V. did a helluva job and I congratulate him. You hate to lose races like that but it does happen from time to time. We just need make sure those losses are the exception rather than the rule."
Race day started great for Coughlin as the four-time series titlist recorded a perfect .000-second reaction time in an easy 6.637-second win against Humphreys. It was the second quickest pass of the opening round. In the quarterfinals, Coughlin tamed the hotter racetrack and posted the best elapsed time of the session, a 6.653 at 207.40 mph, to get his JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt into the semifinals.
"The car really responded well today and Roy Simmons and the guys did a great job making the necessary adjustments," Coughlin said. "We're off to a terrific start to the season and I'm very pleased with everything at the moment. The exciting thing is we've got room to get better so we should be able to keep this run going. That's the plan."
When combined with his runner-up finish at the season-opener in California two weeks ago, this semifinal ending at Firebird International Raceway gives Coughlin 171 points, placing him just four behind Greg Anderson.
Coughlin and his Victor Cagnazzi Racing teammates have a few weekends off before the next event, the 39th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, which takes place March 13-16 at Gainesville Raceway in central Florida.
-credit: team jegs
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Gainsville Sunday notes
Next article Phoenix: Dave Grubnic final report
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jeg Coughlin
Hight, Torrence are champions, Kalitta, Beckman take Pomona wins
NHRA
NHRA
Pomona II
Hight, Torrence are champions, Kalitta, Beckman take Pomona wins
Capps, Schumacher score their first wins of 2018
NHRA
NHRA
Bristol
Capps, Schumacher score their first wins of 2018
Can Millican start a winning streak?
NHRA
NHRA
Norwalk
Can Millican start a winning streak?
Latest news
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
3 h
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
3 h
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Talladega II
3 h
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe