[coverattach=1]CHICAGO (July 19) -- Veteran drag racer Troy Coughlin had one of his best days ever at the drag strip Saturday, posting a national record pass of 6.279 seconds at 223.76 mph in his JEGS.com Pontiac GXP to claim top qualifying honors at the fourth annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing at Route 66 Raceway.
"The car is 100-percent better than it's ever been," Coughlin said. "We took the engine and had it freshened up after the last race and it's definitely stronger. Everything is working better and it's showing on the track.
"To come out and run a string of passes like we have -- a 6.32, a 6.27, a 6.33, and a 6.32 -- so far is outstanding, let alone running a world record. No one has been as consistent as we have been and that's very satisfying. I feel as though we have a great opportunity to win this race."
Coughlin entered this race second in the Edelbrock Pro Street points and will pick up a round's worth of points for setting the national record. He also won the first round of eliminations Saturday night to advance to the quarterfinals, which will begin Sunday morning.
His first-round victory was an easy one after his opponent rolled the lights and was disqualified at the starting line. Nevertheless, Coughlin posted a 6.327 at 222.95 mph to earn lane choice going into the quarterfinals.
"I haven't had this much fun at the drag races in a long time," said Coughlin, the NMCA Pro Street runner-up in 2006. "It's hard to describe the confidence you have as a driver when you have a racecar and crew like this. You just pull up to the line knowing good things are about to happen."
This weekend's event marks the midway point of the seven-race Edelbrock series.
"The car is 100-percent better than it's ever been," Coughlin said. "We took the engine and had it freshened up after the last race and it's definitely stronger. Everything is working better and it's showing on the track.
"To come out and run a string of passes like we have -- a 6.32, a 6.27, a 6.33, and a 6.32 -- so far is outstanding, let alone running a world record. No one has been as consistent as we have been and that's very satisfying. I feel as though we have a great opportunity to win this race."
Coughlin entered this race second in the Edelbrock Pro Street points and will pick up a round's worth of points for setting the national record. He also won the first round of eliminations Saturday night to advance to the quarterfinals, which will begin Sunday morning.
His first-round victory was an easy one after his opponent rolled the lights and was disqualified at the starting line. Nevertheless, Coughlin posted a 6.327 at 222.95 mph to earn lane choice going into the quarterfinals.
"I haven't had this much fun at the drag races in a long time," said Coughlin, the NMCA Pro Street runner-up in 2006. "It's hard to describe the confidence you have as a driver when you have a racecar and crew like this. You just pull up to the line knowing good things are about to happen."
This weekend's event marks the midway point of the seven-race Edelbrock series.
