Baytown: Jeg Coughlin preview

Coughlin, Rejuvenated Slammers Team 'Ready to Go' for Houston Win

BAYTOWN, Texas, March 27, 2007 -- Bravo! Brands Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BRVO): The time is coming, perhaps as early as this weekend at Houston Raceway Park, when Jeg Coughlin will drive the Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevy Cobalt into the Pro Stock winner's circle.

"I'm ready to go," said Coughlin, a two-time NHRA POWERade Series champion who will be among the contenders for O'Reilly Spring Nationals honors Friday through Sunday. "We've had some great runs at Houston and some great wins there -- three in Pro Stock (1997, 1998 and 2000) and one in Super Stock in 1994. There have been a lot of great memories there."

And there is always room for more.

Coughlin was enthused about the results of a two-day test session that showed improvements that could facilitate his title aspirations. "We had probably the second-fastest car at Gainesville (Fla., March 18) and just got nipped by the fastest car," he said. "That takes the wind out of your sails but, at the same time, we've been really rejuvenating ourselves, back-tracking and trying to dot our i's and crossing our t's from a setup and performance standpoint. I think we are real close to showing off that (team owner Victor) Cagnazzi horsepower and get the car down the racetrack, trying to be more efficient and more consistent.

"The efforts of Roy Simmons (his crew chief), Tommy Utt (teammate Dave Connolly's crew chief), the entire engine shop, the whole crew in chassis development, and Victor are just what teams are made of -- that never surrender attitude. And I know Victor has been more excited than ever," added Coughlin. "It's time to put our best foot forward and put our Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevy in the winner's circle."

Coughlin recorded a career-best elapsed time of 6.582 seconds at a best speed of 210.01 mph in a first round win at Gainesville and then met eventual event winner Greg Anderson, who won by a mere six-thousandths of a second (6.563 at 211.40 to 6.589 at 209.23, in the quarterfinals.

"That was probably the quickest side-by-side race in Pro Stock history," said the Delaware, Ohio-based driver. "Our car's performance improved by two-hundredths of a second in the second round and his slowed by three-hundredths. We have 23 races in the POWERade Series and or goal is to take what we are learning every day and every week and put that in motion for the next run and the next race."

Coughlin ranks seventh (139 points) in the Pro Stock title chase. He has qualifying sessions Friday at 3 and 6 p.m. and Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m.

"I don't want to say we are overdue for a win," he concluded, "but it just couldn't come quick enough. If we can get just a little bit of luck in our favor this weekend, nothing will stop us."

-credit: team jegs