When Revelation Turns To Revolution

When Chrysler first officially announced its Mopar® Challenger Drag Pak back in 2008, it quickly peaked a lot of drag racer interest. Following a very successful 2009 year which saw all 100 produced Drag Pak vehicles sell out, Drag Paks are now becoming more visible at drag strips everywhere. The 2010 season opening NHRA events included some very special Drag Pak involvement along with some very notable results.

Words: Bruce Biegler

History came early for the Mopar® Challenger Drag Pak racing program, during the 2010 season-opening NHRA Winternationals held at Pomona, Calif. At that event, drivers Irvin Johns (Charlestown, Ind.) and Jeg Coughlin (Columbus, Ohio) both made significant statements with their revolutionary machines by qualifying in the upper echelon for the event’s Stock Eliminator program. In fact, Johns paced the field earning the #1 qualified position in the “stock” class with a run of 9.918 secs. which is some 1.08 secs. under the national index for the A/SA class while Coughlin qualified #6 of 79 cars entered.

For Johns, who in fact was one of the very first racers to hit the drag strip with a Drag Pak last season, the Pomona pole was a very rewarding development.

“We first debuted this car back in August of 2009,” confirmed Johns. “Qualifying #1 at Pomona was very gratifying for me because it’s really what we came here to do. Driving this car is a ball—it’s so smooth and safe at even 140 mph. It runs like a Viper but feels like a Chrysler 300.”

Johns runs a 6.1L HEMI® in his car which is in fact Drag Pak No. 006. He ordered and then acquired his machine through Jeff Teuton’s Southland Dodge dealership in Louisiana.

Johns #1 qualifying position at Pomona is, however, not his only significant accomplishment so far. During Autumn last year he did qualify the machine #1 during the 2009 NHRA Jegs Sports Nationals, and the car also claimed the pole (with Joey Wilkes driving it) during NHRA’s Arizona Nationals this February with a run of 9.935 secs. (1.06 secs. under the index).

Also making early waves with a Mopar Drag Pak is Jeg Coughlin. The second generation driver who is a 4-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion, has debuted his Drag Pak during early season NHRA action and also promptly qualified very well. The highly versatile racer, who also has numerous national event wins within Sportsman racing ranks to his credit, has confirmed that he will run his A/SA 6.1L (372 cid), Drag Pak No. 014, extensively this season.

“When I heard about what my friends at Mopar were doing with Drag Pak I was very excited about it,” said Coughlin. “For many years I had heard from my family all about the factory race car era. So for me to have an opportunity to literally take a race car from the showroom to the drag strip was very appealing to me. I think time will show this to be a very special place in drag racing history.”

Coughlin ordered his machine online and then took delivery of it from Jim Pancake’s Carriage Town Chrysler Jeep® in Ohio. John Holt did the chassis so that Coughlin could potentially run the car in Stock or Super Stock Eliminators and Jeff Taylor made sure the HEMI engine program was up to proper NHRA specifications.

In addition to Pro Stock racing fame, Coughlin has, during his great career, also won national events in Super Comp, Top Dragster, Competition Eliminator and Super Gas. He was quick to admit that he wants to add a Stock Eliminator win to his trophy case.

“I’m looking to acclimate myself behind the wheel and challenge for some round wins in Stock Eliminator,” he affirmed. “Stock is a very tough class with very skilled racers. I’m looking to have a great year driving my Challenger Drag Pak.”