MOVERS & SHAKERS
FASTEST OF
THE FAMILY
Third-generation
driver Troy Coughlin
Jr. became the fastest member of the
iconic Coughlin family
this spring when he
earned his NHRA Top
Fuel license during
pre-season testing in
Phoenix. Behind the
wheel of the Red Fuel
by Schumacher dragster usually driven by
Shawn Langdon, TJ
clocked a best pass of
3.853 at 321.81 mph.
GRIFF-TECH
Tennessee native Bill Griffin has been drag racing since 1960. He began
his career at Union Hill Dragway, now known as Music City Raceway, in
Nashville. Ten years later, when construction began on Bristol International Dragway, Griffin laughingly recalls how he would faithfully drive to
the property daily to check the progress. “I kept thinking to myself, ‘Are
they ever gonna’ finish building this track?” he recalls. Not surprising, Bill
was among the first in line on opening day in 1965. Over the years he’s
collected a trio of race cars, which include a pair of dragsters and a 1991
Z28 Camaro. At 74 years of age he stills enjoys racing regularly at Thunder Valley and swears their DER Bracket Series is the best deal going.
STARTING STRONG
Phillip Bullock came roaring out of the gate in 2016, capturing
his first win of the season at Rockingham Dragway during the
annual free-entry bracket race. Bullock, a resident of Nashville,
North Carolina, is no stranger to Rockingham’s winner’s circle
after capturing a win at Super Chevy in 2015. He even collected
back-to-back wins at Virginia Motorsports Park during a midseason hot streak. Bullock also went to the finals in two out
of three outings last season at Roxboro Dragway, where this
photo was taken in March 2016 during the annual Easter Bash.
Throwback
Brad Jeter was once a fixture
on the southeast Pro Mod circuit in the 1990s before eventually competing in NHRA Pro
Stock Truck and later Pro Stock
while driving for Steve Schmidt
in the early 2000s. He continued bracket racing until 2008
before taking a 7-year break
from racing. Amazingly, he won
his debut race out of retirement
in 2015 when he entered and
won the $20K to win Spring
Fling at Bristol Dragway. “Winning the Spring Fling meant
more than any other race win
because I had my wife and two
kids with me, which was actually their first drag race,” says
Jeter with a smile.
54 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 110