LAS VEGAS –Troy Coughlin raced to his first NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Pro Care Rx Series world championship on the strength of his second win of the season at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals. The stage was set at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Coughlin to win the championship when Mike Castellana, points leader coming into the event, was defeated in the quarter finals.
Coughlin, who debuted his 2012 JEGS.com Corvette at the race, needed to win the event to have an opportunity to overcome Castellana, who was sitting on the sidelines. Coughlin defeated Danny Rowe in the semi-finals and then outran top qualifier Don Walsh in the finals. Coughlin secured the championship by three points over Castellana.
“We approached it like lets go in and run as best as we can and not overpower the track and just take it one round at a time, just go up and make laps, get off the starting line on time and make some laps and turn the win lights on,” Coughlin said. “We came into this race with a brand new car, made a few laps and tested here last week in Vegas and it seemed to be OK, good enough to come to the race. All the guys back at Jegs have done a fabulous job with this thing and making my job really much simpler than in the past.”
LAS VEGAS -- Final finish order (1-16) at the 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx.
PRO MODIFIED:
1. Troy Coughlin; 2. Don Walsh; 3. Danny Rowe; 4. Leah Pruett; 5. Raymond Commisso; 6. Pete Farber; 7. Mike Castellana; 8. Rickie Smith; 9. Donald Martin; 10. Clint Satterfield; 11. Todd Tutterow; 12. Dennis Radford; 13. Kenny Lang; 14. Mike Janis; 15. Jay Payne; 16. Steve Matusek.
LAS VEGAS -- Sunday's final results from the 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 10 in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx:
Pro Modified -- Troy Coughlin, Chevy Corvette, 5.830, 253.52 def. Don Walsh, Ford Mustang, 7.602, 140.90.
LAS VEGAS -- Final round-by-round results from the 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx:
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Raymond Commisso, Chevy Camaro, 5.974, 246.08 def. Todd Tutterow, Plymouth Duster, 6.076, 243.68; Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 5.974, 242.23 def. Steve Matusek, Ford Mustang, 13.713, 85.96; Troy Coughlin, Chevy Corvette, 5.827, 253.75 def. Mike Janis, Mustang, 6.879, 153.81; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 6.048, 232.87 def. Donald Martin, Camaro, 5.915, 244.56; Don Walsh, Mustang, 5.883, 248.39 def. Clint Satterfield, Camaro, 6.008, 243.24; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 6.275, 235.19 def. Jay Payne, Camaro, 11.783, 109.57; Leah Pruett, Mustang, 5.967, 250.09 def. Dennis Radford, Camaro, 6.107, 197.31; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.960, 219.08 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, 6.117, 241.32;
QUARTERFINALS -- Pruett, 6.199, 241.63 def. Smith, 14.571, 58.56; Rowe, no time def. Farber, no time; Rowe, 5.892, 245.32 def. Farber, foul; Coughlin, 5.860, 249.07 def. Castellana, 6.404, 185.84; Walsh, 5.884, 255.29 def. Commisso, foul;
SEMIFINALS -- Walsh, 5.917, 251.58 def. Pruett, 6.704, 159.21; Coughlin, 5.903, 253.14 def. Rowe, foul;
FINAL -- Coughlin, 5.830, 253.52 def. Walsh, 7.602, 140.90.
LAS VEGAS -- Point standings (top 10) following the 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx -
Pro Modified
1. Troy Coughlin, 675; 2. Mike Castellana, 672; 3. Don Walsh, 641; 4. Rickie Smith, 629; 5. Danny Rowe, 626; 6. Leah Pruett, 602; 7. Donald Martin, 513; 8. Pete Farber, 496; 9. Steve Matusek, 406; 10. Kenny Lang, 397.
