NHRA Coughlin: Fast but not fastest

October 11, 7:20 PMNHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing ExaminerDwight Drum

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Another first-round loss plagued the JEGS.com team as the Countdown to 1 has become a point nightmare for Jeg Coughlin Jr. during the NHRA Virginia Nationals. The Countdown PS leader, red-hot Mike Edwards, extended his point advantage by running a national record Elapsed Time  in Pro Stock with a blistering 6.509. Greg Anderson set a new top speed record rocketing at 212.36 mph. Weather conditions at Virginia Motorsports Park were premium.

Although Coughlin ran his quickest pass this season and his career fastest, the result came up 0.0213 seconds short.

"These last four races have been so uncharacteristic for this team," Coughlin said. "We go through the regular season without a first-round loss, we win seven races, and we lead the points for 14 events.

"We've struggled to get the car figured out and when you have hiccups like that in this class, you're toast. All the teams that had their struggles in the regular season are now running great and we've fallen off.”

The 2009 Countdown to 1 with two events remaining has become a narrowed race in all classes but in the Pro Stock Car class, Edwards is in command.

"We'll just race out the year and try to win the last two events, Coughlin said. “I have all the confidence in the world in this team. We're the same group that won the last two championships. It just wasn't meant to be for us this year."

The teams of Top Fuel Dragster Brandon Bernstein and Funny Car Del Worsham have snatched few wins recently but they were supreme in Virginia. Joining them in victory was Mike Edwards who now carries a 128 point lead going into the final two events. 

Top Fuel Point Standings:

1. Tony Schumacher, 2427
2. Larry Dixon, 2380
3. Cory McClenathan, 2359
4. Antron Brown, 2346
5. Brandon Bernstein, 2307
6. Morgan Lucas, 2269
7. Shawn Langdon, 2254
8. Spencer Massey, 2225
9. Doug Kalitta, 2218
10. Clay Millican, 2093

Funny Car Point Standings:

1. Robert Hight, 2362
2. Ashley Force Hood, 2349
3. Tony Pedregon, 2314
4. Ron Capps, 2299
5. Tim Wilkerson, 2280
6. Jack Beckman, 2276
7. Bob Tasca III, 2259
8. Del Worsham, 2227
9. John Force, 2216
10. Mike Neff, 2203

Funny Car Point Standings:

Mike Edwards, 2524
Greg Anderson, 2396
Jason Line , 2373
Jeg Coughlin, 2292
Greg Stanfield, 2276
Allen Johnson, 2244
Johnny Gray, 2233
Ron Krisher, 2222
Kurt Johnson, 2184

Photo credit: Gary Larsen