The Mannings. The Andrettis. The Hulls.

These are some of the most famous families in the world of professional athletics. From the Super Bowl rings of Archie, Peyton and Eli, to the Indy 500s, Daytona 500s and Formula 1 championships of Mario, Michael and Marco, even the thousands of goals scored in the NHL between Bobby, Dennis and Brett, their surnames ring with greatness.

But of all of the names in the land of competition, perhaps none is as diverse as the last name of Coughlin.

Yes, the Coughlin family is steeped in tradition in the world of motorsports, but their disciplines couldn’t be any different. From Top Fuel, to Pro Modified, to Pro Stock and, yes, even NASCAR, the Coughlin family knows its way around a racetrack perhaps better than any family in recent history.

“I don’t know exactly what family you could compare us to, but I’d say we’re pretty unique,” said Troy Coughlin Jr., a third-generation racer in the famed Coughlin family. “We all do our own thing. There are so many families out there, I wish I could say we are like the Mannings. I guess you could consider us like the Matthews family in the NFL with so many generations.”

While many famous families have one, maybe two, or the case of the names listed above, three or four members who go on to do great things, the Coughlin family has nearly a dozen who count racing as either a profession or a hobby. From Jeg Coughlin Sr., patriarch of the Coughlin name and founder of one of the largest and most successful mail order speed equipment businesses in the world, to a handful of grandchildren and great grandchildren just taking up the sport, racing is just in the blood of the Coughlin family.

But even with four generations of racers, racing is never pushed on any of the younger members. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

“There’s never pressure to drive,” Coughlin said. “I wouldn’t say I was ever pushed to drag race, but I was drawn to it just by being around it. Watching my father and his three brothers and my grandfather tune and drive these things, it’s very attractive. That feeling of winning, winning as a family, winning as a team, is really contagious.

“We all support each other 100 percent. All of the cousins and kids, whatever they want to do as long as they pour their heart into it. Look at little Jeggie (Jeg Coughlin III) playing golf for Ohio State University. We’re all in for him. We love following him tournament to tournament. It’s actually better to have such a variety in life because, when it is racing all of the time, you risk burnout.

“It’s also a good way to really bounce off of each other. With Jeggie, his focus patterns for golf are extreme and a lot like drag racing. I’ve learned a lot from him and how he goes about his focus. We all feed off of each other.”

An accomplished racer in the sportsman ranks since 1998, with numerous national event and big-money victories to his credit, Troy Coughlin Jr. took his skills to the quicker and faster ranks in 2015 with a venture in Pro Mod. But after only two years in the land of doorslammers, a class made famous by his father and uncles, Troy became only the second driver in the family to dip his toe into the world of Top Fuel racing when he got his license at the end of 2016.

When he took to the track at the Circle K Winternationals in February, he joined his grandfather as the only other family member to take on the quickest and fastest class in all of drag racing when he got behind the wheel of the SealMaster dragster for Kalitta Motorsports.

“I wouldn’t say I was chosen, I chose the class. Top Fuel, and the pursuit of it from the influence of my grandfather and watching his old videos and hearing his experiences and stories, I was just drawn to it,” Coughlin said. “It’s really an honor to be part of such a big class. And such a wild class. I mean, these things are just so exhilarating.”

Exhilarating – and unpredictable.

In six races this season, Troy has seen it all thrown at him. He is 3-6 in round wins, with three quarterfinal appearances and a qualifying high of fifth at the recent NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at ZMax Dragway.

“I’d like to say that it has mainly just been the newness of it all. I haven’t made that many runs and it’s just a whole new feeling – and a whole lot more power,” Coughlin said. “There’s a lot more power to respect and a lot going on before and after the runs. It’s all new. I’ve had some struggles, but you have to think back that you are out here racing and you’ve got to let yourself learn.

“I still have runs like that every once in a while, but I’m continuing to learn the handling of these cars and the ins and outs, do’s and don’ts thanks to Doug Kalitta, J.R. Todd, Del Worsham, Shawn Langdon and Chad Head. That whole group, they have been huge in trying to guide me step-by-step with every question I have.”

But even after dozens of runs in the car, the incredible sensory overload still sometimes leaves him astonished at the power he is working with.

“It’s the ultimate sensory experience. You don’t expect something to ever be that loud,” Coughlin said. “When it idles, your brain and body adjust to it, but when that thing takes off, when you floor it, it’s extreme. I mean, you jump out of your skin. It’s impressive.”

But not even the sound of a Top Fuel machine can compare to a summer evening with the Coughlins.

“It’s loud,” Coughlin said. “Every Tuesday there will be a family dinner. There’s usually a hand-held practice tree being passed around, and there’s probably a nine iron out in the grass. But more than anything, it’s loud.”

While Troy continues to find his way in this new venture, the Coughlin family continues to lead the way on and off the track. But even he knows that he is swimming in uncharted waters, waters only ever touched by one other man in the family.

“I’ve thought about that a lot. I’ve asked my grandfather what it was like being the first, because that’s what he was in the beginning,” Coughlin said. “He said that his parents and his parents’ friends kind of looked at drag racing as a nuisance. But now look at it. It’s organized. NHRA is promoting safety, heck, their motto is dedicated to safety. It’s a great deal being out here and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”