COUGHLIN WINS AT NHRA JEGS PACIFIC SPORTSNATIONALS
FONTANA, Calif. – Winners were crowned Monday at the NHRA Jegs Pacific SPORTSnationals presented by K&N at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif., with Jeg Coughlin, the four time NHRA Pro Stock National Champion, advancing to the final round in both Super Comp and Super Gas. In Super Comp, Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, faced off against Tom McBride, Lakeside, Calif., and ran 9.034 seconds at 160.46 mph to earn him the win over McBride’s run of 9.052 seconds at 167.07 mph.
Thomas Bayer, former Pacific division champion, faced off against Coughlin in the finals in Super Gas. Bayer was able to secure a win and the trip to winner's circle when Coughlin red-lighted at the start. Local to the Auto Club Dragway, Bayer is a resident of Fontana and advanced to the semifinal rounds in Super Comp earlier in the day as well.
Super Street saw Greg Ventura, another familiar face to the Auto Club Dragway, faced Ryan Herem. Ventura made it down the strip with a time of 10.930 seconds at 129.75 mph and defeated Herem’s run of 10.893 seconds at 134.82 mph. Earlier in the day, Ventura made it to the semifinals in Super Gas where he lost to Bayer.
Los Angeles resident Jeffrey Jerome earned his first win ever at a national or divisional event, when he defeated Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash., in Stock Eliminator. Jerome drove his ’73 Duster to a winning run of 11.192 seconds at 111.82 mph. In Top Dragster, Paul Snell, Sandy, Utah, took the win when Kenny Upton, Garden Grove, Calif. red lighted at the start. The event was also Snell’s first ever national event win to go along with his two divisional wins. Snell had a near perfect reaction time of 0.005 seconds off the start then ran 6.767, at 199.88 for a 20-thousandths package in the final round.
Due to rain falling on Sunday morning, the remaining classes were unable to finish up over the weekend. Drivers in Super Stock, Top Sportsman and Sportsman Motorcycle will finish up in Bakersfield at Auto Club Famoso this coming weekend. Comp Eliminator drivers will wrap up at the NHRA Finals in Pomona later this year.
Many of the Pacific Division racers head to Auto Club Famoso for the next NHRA Pacific Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, May 20-22.
The following are the final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Jegs Pacific SPORTSnationals presented by K&N event at Auto Club Dragway:
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jeff Jerome, Los Angeles, '73 Duster, G/SA, 11.192, 111.82 def. Mark Faul, Tacoma, Wash., '69 Chevelle, F/SA, 11.471, 105.67
SUPER COMP
Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, dragster, 9.034, 160.46 def. Tom McBride, Lakeside, Calif., dragster, 9.052, 167.07
SUPER GAS
Thomas Bayer, Fontana, Calif., '62 Corvette, 9.830, 155.19 def. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '11 Corvette, 9.892, 167.99
SUPER STREET
Greg Ventura, Garden Grove, Calif., '66 Nova, 10.930, 129.75 def. Ryan Herem, Quartz Hill, Calif., '69 Camaro, 10.893, 134.82
TOP DRAGSTER
Paul Snell, Sandy, Utah, dragster, 6.767, 199.88 def. Kenny Upton, Garden Grove, Calif., dragster, foul
