Pomona II: Jeg Coughlin Thursday summary

Forgettable run greets Coughlin in Pomona

Four-time Pomona winner Jeg Coughlin began his quest for a fifth title at the birthplace of drag racing with a dubious pass Thursday at Pomona Raceway. Coughlin is currently 26th in the provisional field of the 40th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals after encountering major tire shake early in his run that caused him to shut his car off early and coast to a last-place 13.397-second pass at 65.79 mph.

"Team Jeg's was way too aggressive today, plain and simple," Coughlin said. "Down low, coming out of the hole, we had just too much power we were trying to get to the ground and it didn't hold. Once the tires broke free and I lost all my momentum, I just shut it off. There was no point in trying to save the run.

"We need to be on our best behavior for the rest of the weekend now because it's important to get solidly into the field and make a run at the title on Sunday. It's still early in the weekend so we're not panicking just yet."

Due to local noise ordinances, all racing action must be completed during the daylight hours on weekdays. Therefore, Coughlin and the other assembled professionals made just one qualifying pass Thursday afternoon. They will make one more Friday and two Saturday before the elimination field is finally set.

Coughlin is once again running a special paint scheme on his Jeg's Mail Order Chevrolet Cavalier featuring the sinister Spy vs. Spy Characters of MAD Magazine fame. The car was originally going to run in Las Vegas only, but the 34-year-old Coughlin got such a great response from race fans two weeks ago in Nevada that he decided to keep the livery alive for one more race.

-www.teamjegs.com