Aaron Strong

Coughlin nearly got it done after a stellar day behind the wheel. He left first on all four opponents Sunday, starting with a .026-second reaction time in the first round against Aaron Strong. Coughlin pulled away with a pass of 6.500 seconds at 212.56 mph to easily beat Strong's 6.589-second run at 209.01 mph.

Coughlin then scored a holeshot victory over Elite teammate Erica Enders in the second round. He was .046 on the Tree to her .070, and Coughlin's pass of 6.532 seconds at 211.96 mph was enough to overcome her 6.530-second run at 211.89 mph.
Coughlin then blitzed Allen Johnson in the semifinals, using a .015 light and a run of 6.521 seconds at 212.33 mph to run away from Johnson's .031 light and pass of 6.572 seconds at 211.26 mph.

"I'm just honored to be the shoe behind this car," Coughlin said. "They're a great group of people, and I've got to thank Mark Stockseth and Richard Freeman, Elite Performance, and the Skillman family for allowing us to utilize their rig.”

Even though he succumbed to tire shake in the second round against Shane Gray, Anderson closed out the strenuous Western Swing with the points lead in hand and his position secured in NHRA's 2015 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.