(Delaware, Ohio) – It’s a big weekend to be in Columbus, Ohio. The number-one ranked Buckeyes play a home game for the first time this college football season against Hawaii and just down the road, one of their biggest fans, Cody Coughlin, will wage war in a battle to protect his home turf. The Joe Gibbs Development driver will race in the Bud St. Amant Memorial 125 at Columbus Motor Speedway with his No. 1 JEGS Toyota Camry in the ARCA / CRA Super Series.
“I’m really happy to be racing at home this weekend with my family and friends coming to the track,” said Coughlin. “As much as I hope the Buckeyes get the win on Saturday, I hope we get the win on Sunday. We ran well there a few months ago and knew we had a great shot until bad weather postponed the race. My guys (Team Mgr. Kevin Hamlin, crew chief Nick Easton, spotter Scott Wimmer and crew-member Dave Holt) have been working hard on our Late Model program and I know we are going to be fast.”
Coughlin has run well at Columbus in the past. He finished second in his only start at the 1/3-mile oval in 2014. Coughlin has finished in the top five on two other occasions at Columbus throughout his racing career.
“I’d love to get a win at Columbus,” Coughlin said. “We’ve been very close there in the past, but we just haven’t been able to break into victory lane. I feel like we have a great chance to do just that this Sunday.”
Winning a race at Columbus would rank near the top of Coughlin’s list of accomplishments. He’s won on the famed high banks of Winchester; he’s won the CRA / JEGS All Stars Tour championship, but there would be nothing like winning at your home race track in front of your family and friends.
“I’m lucky enough to always have my father (John) and mother (Di) with me when I race,” said Coughlin. “My sister, Kennedi, will be throwing out the green flag so I hope we can be the first car to go under the flagstand. There will be other family members and so many people from JEGS there as well. That’s what makes this home-game so special. God has blessed us in so many ways and I’m hoping for a good safe and successful race.”
The Columbus race marks the second consecutive week he is behind the wheel of his Super Late Model. Coughlin finished third at the World Stock Car Festival at Winchester on Monday. In fact, the 19-year-old finished third at Lucas Oil Raceway back in July as well.
In between those events, Coughlin made his first start for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Michigan Int’l Speedway. In addition, Coughlin has two poles and a second-place finish in limited starts in the ARCA Racing Series this year.
On-track activity for the Bud St. Amant Memorial 125 begins practice at 12:15 p.m. ETon Sunday, September 13, with qualifying taking place at 2:30 p.m. The Bud St. Amant Memorial 125-Lap Super Late Model race for the ARCA / CRA Super Series rolls off at approximately 6:00 p.m. You can come meet Cody just prior to the event during an on-track autograph session.
For more information on Cody Coughlin and Team JEGS, visit www.teamjegs.com and follow Cody on Twitter, @cody_coughlin. You can also follow Team JEGS on Twitter, @TeamJEGS and “Like” JEGS Performance on Facebook.
Sources: Bob Dillner/51 Sports