Troy Coughlin was instrumental in keeping the Pro Mod exhibition series alive at NHRA, but he hasn’t has much success on the track this season. Coughlin and his Jeg's-backed team qualified for an NHRA Pro Mod event for the first time at Atlanta, going 6.021 at 239.57 mph to start from the 5th position.  Here, something goes really wrong. (Linda Brock photos)

Troy Coughlin's 2006 GTO shows the damage it incurred after striking the right wall hard shortly after his launch against Tony Pontieri in round one of Pro Modified eliminations, then crossing the track behind Pontieri and side swiping the left wall before rolling to a stop in the shutdown area. Initial fears were that Coughlin was incapacitated since it appeared he made no attempt to avoid the left wall, but he was alert and talking to rescue personnel immediately after the accident. "Sometimes that tire shake will clear itself up but it didn't this time and I probably kept my foot in it a tad too long," Coughlin conceded later. "I'm so happy Tony was well down the track and that we didn't get tangled up. I'd have felt 10 times worse if I'd collected him up in this mess. The main thing is I'm alright. The rest of this stuff can be replaced." The GTO won’t be repaired in time for the St. Louis race.  

After winning the first two events of the year, Joe Baker didn’t qualify at Atlanta. (Rich Singer photo)