Drag Illustrated Issue 129, January / February 2018 | Page 92
THE
CHAMPIONS
ISSUE
nhrA p ro m oD
Troy Coughlin
I
f t h i s i s t ru ly i t f o r Tr o y
Coughlin in the professional ranks,
then the veteran certainly knew how
to go out in style. A come-from-behind
sprint that has become his trademark
in the NHRA Pro Mod ranks led to his
third world championship in the class, slip-
ping past Mike Castellana at the final event of
the year in Las Vegas.A month later, Coughlin
announced his retirement from professional
racing, ending a spectacular Pro Mod career
in championship fashion.
“(Crew chief ) Steve Petty pointed out some-
thing really neat,” Coughlin says. “He said, ‘Big
daddy, you’re going out on top. Not many peo-
ple get to do that so it’s really special.’ He’s right.
I’ve been drag racing for a long time, some 32
years now, and I’ve far exceeded any dreams I
could have had when I started. It’s been an in-
credibly fun ride and the success we’ve enjoyed
over the years is something we’ll always cherish.”
Coughlin had won in Pro Stock and Super
Gas, but he found his perfect fit in Pro Mod,
winning championships in 2012, 2015 and 2017.
The impressive six-year stretch included sec-
ond-place finishes in the other three years, as
Coughlin’s turbocharged Corvette performed
brilliantly in the clutch.
That was the case once again in 2017, as
Coughlin again rallied down the stretch. Cas-
tellana started the year with two wins and
four finals appearances in the first five years,
but when Coughlin found his groove, there’s
not many that can keep up. He grabbed the
points lead with his second victory of the
season in St. Louis and was the runner-up
in Las Vegas, finishing up another hot streak
to end the year.
The biggest drama in Vegas came in the sec-
ond round when Coughlin faced off with Castel-
lana. In a thrilling side-by-side duel, Coughlin’s
5.836 at 255.29 edged out Castellana’s 5.837
at 249.07 mph. It clinched a third NHRA Pro
Mod world championship for Coughlin, and
though he didn’t know it at the time, it proved
to be the perfect way to call it a career for the
11-time NHRA Pro Mod winner.
“It was a struggle every race,” Coughlin ad-
mits. “We had some rule changes to deal with at
the start of the year, then they threw some more
at us late in the season, but somehow these
guys kept focused and together with everyone
at Proline and Fuel Tech, we figured out a way
to win. We’ve had an incredible run.
“The times we’ve spent together, both at the
track but particularly away from racing when
we’re just having fun, those are the memories
that mean so much.” – J O S H H AC H DI AT DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
NHRA TOP DRAGSTER LYNN ELLISON
92 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 129