Coughlin the big winner at Pontiac Showdown test session By Kevin McKenna, National DRAGSTER senior editor 2/2/2008

Jeg Coughlin Picking up where he left off last year, reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin began 2008 on a high note with a convincing victory at the annual Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Coughlin drove his Jegs.com Cobalt to a 6.70 in his final-round victory over the Mopar Dodge Stratus of Allen Johnson.

"This is a great way to start the season in grand style," Coughlin said. "Hopefully, this means we're in midseason form. We didn't test all winter; we thought it would be better to take the time to rebuild the car from top to bottom. We ended last season on a high note, so we were just trying to take what we had and make it a little better."

Cool winter temperatures helped to produce track record performances including a 6.685 by Coughlin, who qualified atop the 16-car field. Former Las Vegas winner Kurt Johnson was also in the 6.6s with a 6.685 from his ACDelco Cobalt for second, and newcomer Vinnie Deceglie posted a 6.828 in his Mountain View Tire Dodge for the bump.

"We came out here on Thursday and made a couple of pretty good runs, and we had one of the two quickest cars the rest of the weekend," Coughlin said. "Last year we ran a 6.69 here, and I felt like we could run a little quicker than that if the weather cooperated. Once we got some sun on the track today [the conditions] were pretty good, and that's where the big numbers came from."

Showdown victor Coughlin was congratulated by Pontiac's Fred Simmonds. Coughlin opened eliminations with a 6.72 win over Deceglie and later survived a pair of tough matches against V. Gaines and former NHRA POWERade world champ Greg Anderson. Gaines cut a stellar light in round two with an .005, but Coughlin countered with an .004, taking the win on a 6.72 to 6.74 count. A round later opposite Anderson, Coughlin was nearly perfect again with an .005 light that helped him take a 6.73 to 6.71 holeshot win over Anderson's new Pontiac GXP.

The final was over quickly as Coughlin banked more than five-hundredths against Johnson and extended the lead downtrack for a 6.70 to 6.73 victory.

"Before the final, my main objective was to keep the light green," Coughlin said. "I had two pretty good lights and I knew that once it got dark, I might have a problem. We made a few adjustments, and I was aiming for a .014 and I had a .016, so I feel pretty good about that.

"Obviously, I'm pretty excited right now. I'm already looking forward to that first qualifying session at Pomona this coming Thursday."

Johnson, last year's fourth-ranked Pro Stock driver, also appeared to be in midseason form with four straight 6.73 runs during eliminations. After qualifying sixth, Johnson bested Justin Humphreys, Matt Hartford, and Greg Stanfield to advance to the final.

"Overall, I'd say we had a pretty successful weekend," said Johnson, whose father and engine builder, Roy, was recently inducted into the Southeast Division Hall of Fame. "Our car ran pretty well, and it was nice just to be out here racing again. I didn't win, but I think we're in good shape for Pomona, and that's the most important thing."

Round one V. Gaines (.025) 6.759 at 202.61 def. Mike Edwards (.057) 6.761 at 202.91 Greg Stanfield (.021) 6.748 at 203.61 def. Jason Line (.020) 12.618 at 67.93 Ron Krisher (.083) 6.748 at 203.52 def. Tom Hammonds (.051) 6.802 at 203.22 Allen Johnson (.018) 6.735 at 203.74 def. Justin Humphreys (.038) 6.770 at 204.26 Greg Anderson (.021) 6.709 at 205.54 def. Bill Glidden (.023) 6.808 at 202.85 Kurt Johnson (.003) 6.697 at 205.66 def. Jim Yates (.055) 6.784 at 202.42 Matt Hartford (.058) 6.771 at 203.49 def. Warren Johnson (0.112) 6.756 at 205.10 Jeg Coughlin (.064) 6.724 at 205.32 def. Vinnie Deceglie (0.436) 7.331 at 150.90

Round two A. Johnson (.083) 6.739 at 204.32 def. Hartford, (.079) 6.762 at 203.77 Coughlin (.004) 6.725 at 205.32 def. Gaines (.005) 6.745 at 203.80 Anderson (.035) 6.723 at 205.29 def. Krisher (-.002 foul) 10.389 at 85.81 Stanfield (.029) 6.757 at 203.92 def. K. Johnson (.052) 6.742 at 206.04

Round three A. Johnson (.018) 6.736 at 203.52 def. Stanfield (.019) 6.746 at 204.63 Coughlin (.005) 6.730 at 204.66 def. Anderson (.035) 6.715 at 205.16

Round four Coughlin (.016) 6.711 at 204.94 def. A. Johnson, (.070) 6.735 at 203.92