Coughlin Qualifies Dodge Dart No.2 at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals 

June 14, 2014 , Bristol, Tenn. -  Mopar Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin Jr. narrowly missed out on snagging the top position on the eliminations ladder for Sunday’s 14th annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Thunder Valley Nationals after a great final qualifying run against competitor Shane Gray in which both cars posted identical elapsed time runs but the JEGS.com Dodge Dart was edged out by speed.
 
With less humidity and water particles in the air than the previous cooler evening, the Johnson & Johnson-tuned HEMI^® engine propelled Coughlin’s Mopar to the top of the scoresheets on his first pass of the day with a 6.634-second run at 207.85 mph. The JEGS.com Dodge Dart improved again on the final run of the day with a 6.621-second e.t, but saw Gray match it to earn his first career No.1 qualifier position with a speed of 208.78 mph to Coughlin’s 208.62 mph. 
 
"I know it's happened in my career; I don't think it's happened for No. 1 – probably not, I would say," said Coughlin of losing the pole position on speed after a matching elapsed time pass. "That's probably another first.We had a heck of a car all through qualifying. We ran two real nice runs yesterday and ran second and third in the sessions yesterday. Today, we were first and second. We made small improvements coming in today, and the air was a bit dryer, and the barometric pressure was a little bit up. That's why the Pro Stock cars were picking up in elapsed time and speed. The track stayed really, really good for as hot as that sun was on it, and the crew chiefs were able to apply quite a bit to it.”
 
Coughlin’s gained eight bonus points with his runs and his second place seeding will match him up against Kenny Delco in the first round of eliminations.

Teammate and crowd favorite Allen Johnson also improved his qualifying time from Friday’s sessions in the “Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar” Dodge Dart, but ended up fifth with his best run of 6.636 seconds (207.85 mph). The Greeneville, Tenn.-native is not only hoping to continue the streak of wins that he and Coughlin have combine to put together in the last three nationals events, but is looking to earn his first win at his home track.
 
“We snuck into that top-five position at the end and made a good run for Sunday but we’ve been a bit quiet,” said Johnson who will see Dave Connolly as his first round competitor. “Jeg (Coughlin)’s showing off more than we are but that’s our set up too so that means we should be good. That last run will be the conditions we should have tomorrow almost exactly so that was a good run. Everyone’s grouped together real tight and Pro Stock competition is as tight as it has ever been. All the pressure is on me just so long as the car makes that same run and I have a great run, we have a great combination.”
 
The HEMI-powered Dodge Dart of V. Gaines qualified 13^th with a 6.690-second e.t. (206.73 mph) to face Jason Line in the first round.
 
With the warmest conditions for qualifying so far this season, the chances of seeing the Don Schumacher Funny Cars improve on Friday’s times proved more difficult. The Dodge Charger R/T of Ron Capps retained its third place seeding based on his Friday evening run of 4.024 seconds at 316.38 mph and was the most consistent of the DSR entries with four good runs between 4.024 and 4.188 seconds.
 
Tommy Johnson Jr. takes the fifth spot with his best effort of 4.074 sec. / 306.60 mph to see Cruz Pedregon in the first round.
 
Teammate Matt Hagan qualified the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T in the top half of the eliminations ladder as well with his eighth place effort after a 4.111-second (308.99 mph) run, providing Chad Head as a first round opponent.
 
Jack Beckman remained 11^th with his 4.123 second / 308.99 mph pass from Friday as well and gives up lane choice to first round opponent, Courtney Force. No.1 qualifier honors went to Del Worsham.
 
ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will provide two hours of eliminations coverage of the 14th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on Sunday, June 15, starting at 11 p.m. (ET).
 
 
2014 NHRA Points Standings
(Following Bristol NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Final Qualifying)
 
PRO STOCK (season wins in parentheses)
1.         Erica Enders Stevens – 828 (2)
2t.        Jeg Coughlin Jr. – Dodge Dart – 713 (2)
2t.        Allen Johnson – Dodge Dart – 704 (3)
4.         Jason Line – 658
5.         Shane Gray – 631
6.         Vincent Nobile – 597
7.         Dave Connolly – 567
8.         V. Gaines – Dodge Dart – 487
9.         Chris McGaha – 459
10.        Rodger Brogden – 390     
 
FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)
1.         Robert Hight – 885 (4)
2.         John Force – 640 (1)
3.         Alexis DeJoria – 599 (2)
4.         Del Worsham – 573
5.         Ron Capps – Dodge Charger R/T – 571
6.         Courtney Force – 561
7.          Tommy Johnson Jr. – Dodge Charger R/T – 547
8.         Cruz Pedregon – 538 (1)
9.         Jack Beckman – Dodge Charger R/T– 512
10.        Matt Hagan – Dodge Charger R/T – 487
About Mopar Motorsports
Mopar’s commitment to professional motorsports competition was established in the 1950s when a partnership ignited with drag racing pioneer Don Garlits, resulting in the breaking of numerous speed and performance barriers in HEMI®-powered vehicles over the next several decades. In 2014, Mopar celebrates the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the GEN III 426 Race HEMI® and looks to defend back-to-back NHRA World Championship titles (2012-2013) in the Pro Stock class and battle for another Funny Car World Championship after wins in 2011-2012. While Mopar remains involved in a various professional motorsports series, it continues to honour its roots by being a proud supporter of amateur racing within the NHRA with its sponsorship of the HEMI Challenge and Mopar Sportsman Cup.
 
Mopar Brand
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words Motor and PARts) was trademarked in 1937 with the launch of an antifreeze product but truly made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era. From Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use, the brand soon expanded to include technical service and customer support.
 
Today, Mopar is FCA’s service, parts and customer-care brand and distributes more than 500,000 parts and accessories in more than 130 markets, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Mopar is the source for genuine parts and accessories for FCA brands.

Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for FCA vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.
 
Mopar-first Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:

• Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with customers
• Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format. First to offer complete vehicle-information kits in Spanish
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• Wireless charging: first to introduce in-vehicle wireless charging for portable devices
• Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set parameters
• wiAdvisor: first to provide factory-connected tablet technology in the service lane for instant vehicle diagnosis
• wiTech: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network
• 2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car