NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Mike Coughlin, entering his 40th season as a licensed NHRA racer, will compete in the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock class in 2025. Coughlin will be racing as a member of Elite Motorsports during the 2025 JHG NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock season.

“Richard [Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports] and I have been talking for a couple years now. Our families have dealt with each other for a long time in the drag racing space,” Coughlin said. “Being involved with Elite; it’s a highlight. The team is really second to none. Everything is done right, and if it’s not right, they make it right. That’s just the way they roll. I’m looking forward to being around and associated with that level of professionalism and for the chance to represent Jason and Nikki Johnson of JHG.”

Coughlin will be joining his brother, six-time world champion Jeg Jr., and nephew Troy Jr. racing under the Elite banner. Coughlin began his racing career in 1985 in Super Gas. His first NHRA national event victory came in Pro Stock Truck in 1999 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown. With six wins in Pro Stock Truck, including two at the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in 1999 and 2001 and the final event of the now-defunct Pro Stock Truck class at the NHRA Finals in 2001, Coughlin is familiar with driving a five-speed transmission.

"Our goal for the Mountain Motor Pro Stock program from the very beginning was to have rental customers just like our highly successful NHRA Pro Stock program,” said Freeman. “I started driving when we purchased the program from JR Carr along with Erica. Then our great friends Bo and Randi Lyn Butner started driving, and this helped to further strengthen our successful Mountain Motor Pro Stock program on and off the track to where we are today and in the future. A big thank-you to the Butners for what they did to help get us to this point and reach the goal we started with.

"We are excited that another veteran and uber-talented driver like Mike Coughlin thought of Elite Motorsports when it came to making plans for 2025,” Freeman said. “It's going to be great to see Mike back behind the wheel of a five-speed; he was a real threat to win at every Pro Stock Truck race back in the day, and this is going to be a lot of fun to see him racing with us for JHG in Mountain Motor Pro Stock and winning."

"I have gotten to know Mike Coughlin the last couple of years, and he is going to make a great addition to the Johnson's Horsepowered Garage family,” Jason Johnson, owner of JHG.  

Coughlin has earned wins in five different NHRA categories. In addition to his six Pro Stock Truck victories, he has four in Top Sportsman, three in Super Comp, and one in Top Dragster. He most recently competed in Top Alcohol Dragster with the McPhillips Racing team from 2022-2024, picking up three victories for the father-son team. He will make his Mountain Motor Por Stock debut at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway and run the full eight-race JHG NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock 2025 schedule.

“I’m looking forward to driving a five-speed again. I’m excited about the challenge, all the procedure that goes with it. It really is different than anything out there,” Coughlin said. “It’s probably one of the hardest things to drive, but also one of the most fun, it really is a good time. I’m going to enjoy Mountain Motor Pro Stock, all the power and torque they make. It’s similar to a Top Sportsman engine combination, but it’s a five-speed. It’s going to be fun.”