Good luck on Coughlin’s side
Two-time reigning NHRA Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has experienced many scenarios en route to winning his 43 titles.
But none matched the route Coughlin took Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals.
The day started simply enough when Coughlin uncorked a quarter-mile run of 6.69 seconds, which proved to be his best of the day.
But it didn't count because a piece of rubber disrupted the timing beams on the starting line of the lane for his opponent, Kurt Johnson.
When the race was re-run, Johnson false-started and recorded a red-light disqualification. Two of Coughlin's three other opponents also left the line too soon, including Greg Stanfield of Bossier City, La., in the championship round.
"I don't remember a day like this before. We had great luck," said Coughlin, who moved into the Pro Stock points lead. "Seeing your win-light come on by the time you're pulling (into) second gear is unusual."
Coughlin, 38, of Delaware, Ohio, won at Las Vegas for the fifth time. He also defeated Stanfield in the finals at the speedway in October.
• LAMB SECOND -- Henderson resident Justin Lamb was runner-up for the event's Super Gas title. The 21-year-old UNLV student lost to Northern California's Ted Seipel, who at age 72 became the oldest winner of an NHRA national event title.
"If I wasn't going to win I'm glad Ted did. That was very cool," said Lamb, who often shares race cars with Seipel's son, Kyle, a multitime national event champion.
Lamb won his first six races Sunday but fell a few thousandths of a second short of winning his second national crown in five events this year.
Other NHRA Sportsman division winners: Justin Davis of Murrieta, Calif., Top Alcohol Dragster; Tony Bartone of Long Island City, N.Y., Top Alcohol Funny Car; Dan Fletcher of Churchville, N.Y., Comp; Jody Lang of Puyallup Wash., Stock and Super Stock; Michael Miller of Santa Fe, N.M., Super Comp; and Tim Landis of Glendale, Ariz., Super Street.
Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.
