No matter the order of the NHRA's infamous Western Swing, five-time world champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr. says the importance of consecutive races in Seattle, Sonoma, and Denver is the same -- it's a vital stretch for championship contenders.

"They've [NHRA] mixed up the order of the Swing and have us starting in Seattle and finishing in Denver this year," said Coughlin, the driver of the JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt. "It makes for an interesting transition. Instead of going from the heat and humidity of Norwalk to the mile-high altitude of Denver, we're going to a sea-level track that hopefully will offer optimum conditions.

"We won't be going slower like normal; we're going to be running 6.50s, and that's pretty darn exciting.

No matter the order of the NHRA's infamous Western Swing, five-time world champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr. says the importance of consecutive races in Seattle, Sonoma, and Denver is the same -- it's a vital stretch for championship contenders.

"They've [NHRA] mixed up the order of the Swing and have us starting in Seattle and finishing in Denver this year," said Coughlin, the driver of the JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt. "It makes for an interesting transition. Instead of going from the heat and humidity of Norwalk to the mile-high altitude of Denver, we're going to a sea-level track that hopefully will offer optimum conditions.

"We won't be going slower like normal; we're going to be running 6.50s, and that's pretty darn exciting.

"This is the time when you have to step it up. The Countdown to 1 (playoffs) is right around the corner and you want to hit that in full stride, not looking for your rhythm. The Western Swing is the time to get it cranked up, and it all starts in Seattle."

A winner of two of the three championships contested under the Countdown to 1 format, Coughlin is well versed in the nuances of the six-race home stretch used to decide the sport's top driver.

"They reset the points for the top 10 drivers and separate everyone by just 10 points each from top to bottom so it's close to starting from scratch," Coughlin said. "The exciting thing for us is I genuinely feel like this is the best racecar I've had since I've been with Victor Cagnazzi Racing, and I say that knowing I've won two championships with this team. I just feel that much confidence in this car.

"We've already won a couple of races and we've had the quickest car in several sessions. We were No. 1 qualifier at the last race in Norwalk (Ohio) and we've won the trophy in Seattle before (2002) so there are lots of reasons to be excited about our program as we head west.

"Seattle is a great city. It's the most picturesque place we visit with Mount Rainer and all the trees and lakes. The owners of the track have been making great enhancements for the racers and the fans and the place gets better every year. We'll be ready to get after it, for sure."