Five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., who has raced to two wins in three final-round showings in the past two months, is looking to get quicker as he and his Victor Cagnazzi Racing teammates are planning a pit stop in Norwalk, Ohio, prior to this weekend's 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago.

Coughlin and crew are hoping to get their JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt in top form before the summer grind of races, which features eight national events in the next 10 weeks.

Norwalk’s drag strip is a familiar and friendly stop for Coughlin. He won last year's K&N Horsepower Challenge at the racetrack, which is positioned closer to his home in Delaware, Ohio, than any other national event venue. Coughlin already earned a chance to defend that race title when the tour returns to Norwalk later this month.

Five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., who has raced to two wins in three final-round showings in the past two months, is looking to get quicker as he and his Victor Cagnazzi Racing teammates are planning a pit stop in Norwalk, Ohio, prior to this weekend's 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago.

Coughlin and crew are hoping to get their JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt in top form before the summer grind of races, which features eight national events in the next 10 weeks.

Norwalk’s drag strip is a familiar and friendly stop for Coughlin. He won last year's K&N Horsepower Challenge at the racetrack, which is positioned closer to his home in Delaware, Ohio, than any other national event venue. Coughlin already earned a chance to defend that race title when the tour returns to Norwalk later this month.

As familiar as Coughlin is with the facility in Norwalk, Ohio, it’s the site of this weekend’s NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Chicago which provides a good deal of past history.  No driver has won more drag races at Route 66 Raceway than Coughlin.

"This always is a fun weekend for me," Coughlin said. "It's a home division race (Division 3) so most of the guys I grew up racing will be there. Plus, it's close enough to home that a bunch of the local folks that watched Dad race back in the day come over. That's always very cool talking with them.

"And the fact we've won there four times, well, that's pretty good also."

Coughlin is the event's defending champion, having beaten current points leader and reigning series champion Mike Edwards in last year's final. He also collected the trophy at Route 66 in 2007, 2003, and 2002.

"We've done well there in the past but the thing I'm most excited about this time through is the way we've been running over the last several races of this season," said Coughlin, who has raced to two wins in three final-round showings in the last five national events. "I think we're seeing the fruit of all the hard work the guys have been putting in over at (team owner) Victor Cagnazzi's race shop.

"Mike Edwards made us all go back and figure out a way to go faster. Historically, the Pro Stock class has gone in phases. There was Bob Glidden's time, then Warren Johnson, Greg (Anderson) and Jason (Line) over at KB Racing, on through to Mike. Whenever you have a period like those guys had it gets you fired up to catch them.

"Mike's still running great, and now we've seen Allen Johnson coming on lately. I like to think we're in the mix as well. We're riding some great momentum right now and if we get the JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt more stable, watch out."