Courtesy of NHRA Communications
NORWALK, Ohio – Ohio favorite Troy Coughlin raced to his first victory of the season Sunday in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Series at the eighth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. The race is the sixth of 10 events in 2014 for NHRA’s popular 250-mph doorslammer touring series.
Troy Coughlin took the final round victory at the controls of his turbocharged JEGS.com Chevy Corvette, beating Von Smith and his supercharged Al-Anabi Racing Camaro with a holeshot performance of 5.940 seconds at 250.92 mph. Smith, who has been in three final rounds this season with one win, managed to close the gap at half-track but finished with a 5.920 at 243.99. This is Coughlin’s first victory at his home track.
The Delaware, Ohio native’s road to victory started with a 5.952 at 249.16 in a first-round win against Eric Latino. He followed that by going 5.950 at 249.63 against Mike Janis and advanced to the final round by powering past reigning Pro Mod world champion and current points leader Rickie Smith in the semis. With the victory, Coughlin jumped to ninth in the Pro Mod points standings.
The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues Aug. 27-Sept. 1 at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Final round-by-round results from the Eighth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the sixth of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
ROUND ONE — Von Smith, Chevy Camaro, 5.923, 241.37 def. Bob Rahaim, Camaro, 5.972, 240.51; Steve Matusek, Camaro, 5.974, 245.90 def. Bill Glidden, Ford Mustang, 6.042, 230.33; Kevin Fiscus, Mustang, 5.932, 250.09 def. Clint Satterfield, Pontiac Firebird, 6.022, 242.02; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.907, 246.62 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, 6.224, 196.59; Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 5.909, 247.75 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 6.045, 215.51; Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.983, 244.92 def. Gary Capano, Chevy Corvette, 5.966, 237.34; Troy Coughlin, Corvette, 5.952, 249.16 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 5.933, 244.12; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.909, 246.57 def. Steven Whiteley, Camaro, 14.106, 76.42;
QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 5.950, 249.63 def. Janis, 6.599, 167.84; R. Smith, 5.918, 247.07 def. Fiscus, 5.916, 250.97; Farber, 5.974, 246.93 def. Matusek, 6.011, 244.16; V. Smith, 5.939, 241.24 def. Rowe, 5.929, 247.57;
SEMIFINALS — V. Smith, 5.911, 242.76 def. Farber, 8.541, 107.29; Coughlin, 5.940, 250.32 def. R. Smith, 5.946, 245.94;
FINAL — Coughlin, 5.940, 250.92 def. V. Smith, 5.920, 243.99.