Jeg Coughlin shines in Las Vegas test

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 2) - With less than a week to go before the start of the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Season, Jeg Coughlin appears ready to challenge for his fourth NHRA World Championship. During Friday's pre-season test session at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Coughlin made the quickest pass of the day when he drove his Slammers Ultimate Milk/Jegs.com Chevy Cobalt to a 6.690-second run. Coughlin is among the more than 20 Pro Stock drivers who are in Las Vegas for Saturday's second annual Pontiac Pro Stock Super Bowl event.

"I made three runs today and all three of them were clean and fast," said Coughlin. "Just about every Pro Stock car that is entered for Pomona is also here testing this weekend so that should give us a good barometer of how we stand in relationship to other teams. Right now, I'd have to say I like our
chances."

Although unofficial, Coughlin's time is quicker than the existing Las Vegas track record. In addition to his pace-setting 6.69-second run, Coughlin also drove his colorful Cobalt to runs of 6.71 and 6.70 seconds. Coughlin's teammate, Dave Connolly, was also among the leaders with a third-best 6.71 in his Torco Cobalt.

"I'm really excited to be racing with Dave this year," said Coughlin. "It's no secret that you can learn more with two cars than you can with just one so one of our main goals heading into this test is to gather as much data as possible and make sure both our teams are working in sync with each other."

Coughlin and the remainder of the Pro Stock drivers in Las Vegas will qualify for the 16-car field on Saturday morning before heading straight into eliminations, which are scheduled for 1 p.m.