TROY COUGHLIN NOT GIVING UP YET
Fri, 2006-10-06 07:52
In all likelihood, Troy Coughlin's inaugural season in the Edelbrock Drag Racing
Series will end with a very respectable runner-up finish in the Denso Pro Street
championship standings. But there is still one event left on the seven-race
schedule and until it's mathematically impossible for Coughlin to catch points
leader Vinny Budano, he'll be racing as hard as he can in his JEGS Mail Order
Chevrolet Cavalier.
"We'll approach this race like we have a chance to win the title because we still do," Coughlin said. "Vinny and that group have done a great job but I'm very proud of the way we've pushed them to be better, especially considering this was our first full year racing in the NMCA.
"We'll approach this race like we have a chance to win the title because we still do," Coughlin said. "Vinny and that group have done a great job but I'm very proud of the way we've pushed them to be better, especially considering this was our first full year racing in the NMCA.
In all likelihood, Troy Coughlin's inaugural season in the Edelbrock Drag Racing
Series will end with a very respectable runner-up finish in the Denso Pro Street
championship standings. But there is still one event left on the seven-race
schedule and until it's mathematically impossible for Coughlin to catch points
leader Vinny Budano, he'll be racing as hard as he can in his JEGS Mail Order
Chevrolet Cavalier.
"We'll approach this race like we have a chance to win the title because we still do," Coughlin said. "Vinny and that group have done a great job but I'm very proud of the way we've pushed them to be better, especially considering this was our first full year racing in the NMCA.
"We'll approach this race like we have a chance to win the title because we still do," Coughlin said. "Vinny and that group have done a great job but I'm very proud of the way we've pushed them to be better, especially considering this was our first full year racing in the NMCA.
"Maybe they'll win the championship but the title of the race could very
well be ours and we're going to do whatever we can to win it. The way the last
few races have gone we could see Vinny in the finals again."
The season-ending fifth annual Nitto Tire NMCA World Finals at Memphis
Motorsports Park will begin with Coughlin 555 points off the lead. The most a
competitor could earn in a single weekend is 690 points, meaning Budano would
need to be eliminated in the opening round for Coughlin to have a chance at
catching him. Budano, the defending series champion, has advanced at least three
rounds at every race this year.
"It's been a great run and the most important thing is we've had a lot of
fun," Coughlin said. "I backed out of NHRA racing because the schedule was too
demanding. My kids are in that age group were they have a lot going on and
they're the most important thing to me so we needed to do something that allowed
me to race but not be gone 23 weekends a year. This was a perfect fit."
Coughlin, a veteran drag racer who rose to fame in the NHRA's Pro Stock
category, has three-runner-up finishes to his credit this season in Pro
Street.
"The coolest thing is my kids were able to join me several times this
year," Coughlin said. "The racing is very serious over here but it's more down
home fun between rounds and everyone is more relaxed. It was my pleasure to race
and the fact my team gave me a great racecar only made it better."
Qualifying begins Friday with eliminations running Sunday.
Categories:
