Pomona III: Team Jeg's Pro Stock Truck finale report

NHRA Automobile Club of Southern California Finals
Pomona Raceway
Pomona, CA

Team Jeg's - Pro Stock Truck
Mike Coughlin
Raceday Summary

The end in style

Mike Coughlin started raceday with the goal of winning the final Pro Stock Truck race and putting his name permanently in the NHRA record books as the last winner in history.

In the opening round Mike took on Craig Eaton. The match up put a Chevy S-10 and Dodge Dakota into the ring to battle for the win light. The Jeg's Mail Order Chevy S-10 left the starting line first and never looked back. The win light came on for Mike and Team Jeg's with a 7.433 at 180.03 mph. The run was the second quickest of the round.

"We made the straightest run of the weekend in the first round and that really helped us. I could see the excitement of the crew when I returned to our pit area. Everyone was focused on their jobs and going in the same direction as a team," indicated Mike.

In the second round Mike faced off against John Lingenfelter. Coughlin left the line first with a .437 reaction time and never looked back. He turned on the win light at the stripe by .0905 seconds with a 7.437 at 181.62 mph.

"I was really pumped up going into the second round. When my foot came off of the clutch I felt like I mowed the Christmas tree over," commented Mike.

Mike and his yellow and black Jeg's Mail Order machine continued to look like the truck to beat going into the semifinal round when he took on Todd Patterson. The Dodge left the line first with an impressive .419 reaction time and came up short. He ran a 7.425 at 181.35 mph.

"Our group has been working well all weekend and we just need to kick it up a notch for the final round," stated Mike.

In the final round Mike Coughlin and Greg Stanfield went toe-to-toe. Lane choice went to Coughlin and he took the left lane. Mike left first and took it all the way to the big end. He turned on the win light with a 7.427 at 181.72 mph run and became the last Pro Stock Truck winner in history.

"We talked about winning the last Pro Stock Truck race on the plane out here and I wanted to win it bad. Everyone worked together as a team and we accomplished our goal of winning the last race and becoming the last name in the NHRA history books," explained Mike.

-Jeg's-