Cody Coughlin Pre-Race News and Notes: NCWTS at Texas II

Cody Coughlin is driving the JEGS.com/Zaxby’s No. 05 in relief of John Wes Townley, who is recuperating from a non-racing related injury.  Coughlin is a 20 year-old Joe Gibbs Racing Development Driver.  In 2016, the Ohio native made history by becoming the first to win both Champion Racing Association Late Model titles in a single season.

Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Texas Motor Speedway is a 220.5-mile event, scheduled for 147 laps.  This is Coughlin’s second NCWTS race at Texas. Texas is the site of Coughlin’s best NCWTS finish – he scored a 12thin the June event.

Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile race track with 24 degrees of banking in Fort Worth, Texas. TMS currently hosts two NCWTS races. The inaugural NASCAR race held at TMS was won by Jeff Burton on April 6, 1997. Kenny Irwin Jr. won the first ever NCWTS event at TMS on June 6, 1997. Clint Bowyer holds the NCWTS qualifying record with a lap of 29.274 seconds at 184.464 mph.

Cody Coughlin and the No. 05 Athenian Motorsports team will be using truck No. 104. This chassis was most recently used by John Wes Townley at Pocono Raceway in August.  Townley finished 29th after being caught up in an early race crash.

First year crew chief Jimmy Villeneuve will be atop the pit box for Coughlin on Friday night.  Villeneuve hails from the Granite State of New Hampshire where he spent many years working on Super Late Models and Super Modifieds.  Villeneuve has been in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage for quite a few years and has worked with teams such as Kevin Harvick Incorporated and Turner Motorsports.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Villeneuve.  “Cody has shown a lot of promise in the Late Model where he won two championships this year.  He’s also starting to show a lot of promise in the truck.  He seems like a great kid.  I think we’ll run in the top 10 and have a shot to do really well.  I think a top five is pretty achievable and that’s what our goal is.”

In July 2014, Athenian Motorsports began operating out of a new, state-of-the-art, 43,000 square foot facility in Concord, N.C. In 2016, the team is fielding full-time entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. AMS also has a part-time entry in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

2016

Made first NCWTS start at Daytona International Speedway for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Scored a top five and a top 10 at Nashville in the North/South Super Late Model Challenge.

Won ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Toledo Speedway in April.

Won ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Anderson Speedway in May.

Won ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Baer Field Motorsports Park in May.

Won JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race at Salem Speedway in June.

Won JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race at Anderson Speedway in July.

Won ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Winchester Speedway in September.

Won ARCA/CRA Super Series championship in October.

Won JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship in October.

2015

Made first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Kentucky in July.

Made six ARCA Racing Series starts, capturing two poles (Talladega, Chicagoland), two top-fives, three top 10’s, and led a total of 28 laps.

Coughlin finished sixth on the road course at New Jersey Motorsports Park in an ARCA Racing Series event in June.

He ran eight ARCA/CRA Super Series Super Late Model races, with a best finish of second coming at the prestigious Winchester 400 in October.

2014

Made 11 ARCA Racing Series starts, scoring three top five finishes, and eight top-10 finishes.

He had a best finish of fourth, twice, at Kentucky Speed and Kansas Speedway.

He had a streak of three-straight top-10 finishes twice.

Won the Winchester 100 ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Winchester Speedway.

Scored three top-fives and four top-10 finishes in four ARCA/CRA Super Series races.

2011 – 2013

Won the 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship.

Scored two victories in JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour competition (Dixie Speedway, Salem Speedway) in 2013

Scored seven top fives and nine top-10’s and two poles in addition to the two victories in JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour competition in 2013

Won the 2011 Howe Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Award for the JEGS / CRA All-Stars Tour.

Cody Coughlin on Twitter:                              @Cody_Coughlin

Team JEGS on Twitter:

Team JEGS on Instagram:                              @JEGSPerformance

Kyle Busch Motorsports on Twitter:               @KBMTeam

Cody Coughlin Website:               CodyCoughlin.com