Courtesy Elite Motorsports
EPPING, N.H. (June 02, 2024) – Troy Coughlin Jr. and the JEGS.com. / White Castle team defeated six-time champion and teammate Erica Enders in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment machine for their first win of the season Sunday in front of a sold-out crowd at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals.
Troy Jr.’s victory would be his 13th national event win, fifth in Pro Stock and his second against Enders. The teammates have raced each other in a total of four final rounds. It was Troy Jr.’s first final round of the season, 11th in his Pro Stock career.
The Pro Stock final round was a tight side-by-side drag race. Troy Jr. would leave the starting line first with a .013 reaction time to Enders’ .038. At the finish line, Troy Jr.’s 6.584-second pass at 210.05 mph would defeat Enders’ 6.563 at 210.54 on a hole shot by four thousandths of a second.
“It was definitely a wonderful day, a good day for a lot of great brands, JEGS.com, White Castle and the entire family of sponsors that support Elite Motorsports,” Troy Jr. said. “I have to start by acknowledging my opponent and teammate, Erica. She’s fast, she hits the tree well and it’s an honor just to race her. In the final I just tried to crush it and make my best lap. I got there by four thousandths of a second and here we are. It is such a rush. I’m absolutely tickled to death. I have to give it up to my guys, the Elite group, we all look pretty stout. Tim Freeman and the guys in the crew chief lounge, everyone on this yellow machine are making awesome choices. We’ve fought through some adversity, and I know we want to keep this going.”
En route to the finals, Troy Jr., the No. 2 qualifier, would defeat Brandon Miller in the first round with a 6.555 second run at 210.90 mph to Miller’s 6.628 at 208.01. Troy Jr. would then face teammate Aaron Stanfield and the JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers team in the quarterfinals. With a .025 reaction and 6.590 pass at 210.24, Troy Jr. would pick up the hole shot win over Stanfield’s .035 and 6.584 pass at 209.52 setting Troy Jr. up with a semifinal race against Dallas Glenn, who got past teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. and the SCAG / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer team in the quarterfinals. With a clean 6.610 second pass at 209.49 mph, Troy Jr. would take the win over Glenn’s 6.633 at 208.04.
Enders entered race day qualified in the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive weekend setting her up for a first-round match-up against teammate Fernando Cuadra Jr. and the Corral Boots / Cuadra / Columbia Impex team. Enders’ 6.554 second run at 210.73 mph would defeat Fernando Jr.’s 6.697 at 209.69. With a 6.578 second pass at 210.77 mph Enders would take down Deric Kramer’s 6.593 at 210.11 in the second round. In the semifinals, a 6.574 pass at 209.79 mph would send Enders past teammate Jerry Tucker and his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer / SCAG team’s 6.624 at 209.79. Her final round appearance was the 81st of her career as she chases her 50th national event win, 49th in Pro Stock.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues next weekend for Elite Motorsports with the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals June 07-09 at Bristol Dragway.
