Coughlin to prove his mettle at LVMS's famed Bullring short track

LAS VEAGS (April 2) – At the beginning of the New Year, reigning Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. drove a bobsled for the first time in his life as part of the third annual Chevy Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge. At the upcoming Las Vegas race, the 52-time national event winner will venture into another new arena when he joins several of his drag racing contemporaries in high-powered Thunder Roadsters for a charity race entitled NHRA Stars in Short Track Cars.

Coughlin's never driven a Thunder Roadster before but if his rookie experience in a bobsled is any indication, he shouldn't have any trouble learning the ropes. After just a few days of test runs down Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y., Coughlin was able to score a third-place finish against numerous of his NHRA and NASCAR peers competing in the Bodine Challenge.

This time, the 37-year-old from Delaware, Ohio, will have just one quick test session after Friday night's drag racing action at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to figure out the fastest way around LVMS's famed Bullring short track, which is just across the sprawling compound just north of downtown Las Vegas. He'll get 10 more minutes of testing time Saturday evening before the 15-lap All-Star race.

"We're going to give it a whirl," Coughlin said. "The bobsled deal was a blast and I expect this will be as well. I could definitely tell that each of us got better every time we made a run in the bobsled so hopefully we'll pick this up quickly. I know [Gary] Scelzi and Doug Kalitta are racing and those guys know what they're doing so my initial plans are to survive. As long as we all have fun, it'll be worthwhile"

Coughlin will be joined by fellow NHRA pros Gary Scelzi, Morgan Lucas, J.R. Todd, Doug Kalitta, and Allan Johnson in the event. Fans are welcome to attend the event Saturday, April 12.