CLOSE-UP
Troy Coughlin Jr.
A Rookie
Once Again
T
roy Coughlin Jr. is no stranger to the
pressure of racing on a national level. As a third-
generation racer of the legendary Coughlin family,
he’s been around professional drag racing since
birth. The Ohio native has enjoyed a successful career in Junior
Dragster, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Pro Mod, highlighted
by a win in both Super classes at the prestigious NHRA US
Nationals and three semifinal appearances in his lone Pro
Mod season.
While his father, Troy, and uncles John, Mike and Jeg Jr.
have seemingly been content racing in the sportsman classes,
along with Pro Mod and Pro Stock, Troy Jr. has always had
dreams of following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Jeg
Coughlin Sr. The founder and patriarch of the JEGS empire
once raced Top Fuel, among several other classes, and it’s
where Troy Jr. now finds himself as the driver of Kalitta Mo-
torsports’ SealMaster Top Fuel dragster.
“It’s a totally different approach than any of the sportsman
classes,” Troy Jr. says of Top Fuel racing. “It’s a totally different
approach than Pro Mod. All of the things that aren’t such a big
highlight in those classes are a big highlight in Top Fuel. It’s
overwhelming initially, but I think once you get focused and
strapped in, it all comes down to the task at hand. You have
to look at it with a team approach. Everybody has such an im-
portant role in making this car run. Safety equipment is huge,
having the correct fitting equipment and a good poured seat.”
Coughlin’s only experience in Top Fuel prior to being named
the new driver of the SealMaster ride came during the 2016
preseason test session in Phoenix, where he earned his license
in the Shawn Langdon-driven RedFuel by Schumacher entry.
He spent the rest of the season shadowing drivers and working
to develop a driving deal for 2017, but the 26-year-old driver
was still admittedly surprised by the unique experience that
is Top Fuel racing when the time came to start competing at
the season-opening NHRA Winternationals.
“Just the way everything has to work together was an eye-
opener. Having a group of eight or nine guys with the one com-
mon goal of winning races, it takes perfection from everybody.
It’s not easy in handling, the way the car feels and how hard
it pulls. There’s really no way to prepare for the feeling of the
car. There’s really no simulation. It’s just about being relaxed,
focused, asking good questions of resources like I’ve had in
J.R. Todd, Doug Kalitta, Del Worsham and tons of others.
While Coughlin lacks in Top Fuel experience personally,
he has a deep pool of knowledge located in the Kalitta Mo-
torsports camp. Doug Kalitta is the fifth-winningest driver
in Top Fuel history. Incoming Kalitta driver Shawn Langdon,
who also has sportsman roots, is the 2013 Top Fuel world
champion. Funny Car rookie J.R. Todd spent 10 seasons as
a standout Top Fuel driver before making the switch to fuel
floppers over the most recent offseason. Team owner Connie
Kalitta also had an illustrious Top Fuel career, racking up 10
wins before passing off the baton to his late son, Scott.
“It’s pretty cool, surreal almost,” Coughlin said when think-
ing about the mentors available to him as a new driver at the
Ypsilanti, Michigan-based Kalitta organization. “After almost
all of my runs, I’ve always had a chat with Doug. It’s really
cool to look at the things he’s done and look at the advice he
has. He has great advice – he’s made a million runs.
“Shawn is actually who I started working with and learning
from as I licensed in his Don Schumacher entry in February
of 2016. So really it’s kind of like picking up where we left
off with him.
“Connie has great advice, too. All of the little things that you
can think of, he thinks of. He was describing to me how he
used to hit the tree in these cars. I started to try that and it
really works. When a man with experience like Connie gives
you advice, you better make use of it.”
With such a talented support group and a clear eagerness
to learn, it’s safe to assume Troy Coughlin Jr. will soon join
his uncles and father as a NHRA professional-class event
champion. – NATE VAN WAGNEN
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
P H O T OG R A P H
D r a g Il l u s t r a t e d . c o m
B Y
95
R I C K
B E L D E N
Dr ag Illustr ated