Even when he loses, Jeg Coughlin Jr. gains.
Sunday at Memphis Motorsports Park wasn't the best day in Coughlin's
career, but it might turn out to be one of the more pivotal in the 2008
title chase as the driver of the JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt managed to
increase his lead in the championship standings from 14 to 32 point
with his quarterfinal finish.
"It was an exciting round throughout the pro ranks, just watching who
was advancing and who was going home early," Coughlin said. "We've all
been pointing to the Countdown to 1 since the start of the year and now
it's here and every round seems so big. Huge swings can happen and you
know the rounds remaining are slipping away fast. It's intense."
Coughlin would square off with the event's top qualifier, Allen
Johnson, in the quarterfinals. Continuing the theme of the opening
session, Coughlin was fortunate enough to have run quicker than Johnson
in Round 1 and therefore carried lane choice into their Round 2 race.