Vincent Nobile powered his Jersey Auto Supply 2024 Chevy Camaro to his first career Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock victory Sunday at the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
Nobile defeated Mike Coughlin Jr. in the final round, posting the weekend’s quickest run at 6.306 seconds and 221.38 mph to overcome Coughlin’s 6.342 at 222.55. The win marked Nobile’s first in Mountain Motor Pro Stock competition and his first national event triumph since 2018.
“We came back because this is something me and my father could afford to do,” Nobile said. “We just love Pro Stock and this is so similar to Pro Stock. I’m just really proud of our team. It’s been a while, been a real long time.”
Nobile, who owns 13 career Pro Stock victories, credited persistence through challenges with the new program. “We’ve had a lot of uphill battles with this car. We finally got things squared away as you could see: the car ran really strong on that last pass,” he said.
Nobile qualified No. 4 with a 6.336-second run at 220.87 mph, earning a first-round matchup against Chris Powers and the Sonny’s Racing Engines Camaro. Powers left first but encountered problems, while Nobile advanced with a 6.331 at 221.20.
In the second round, Nobile faced No. 1 qualifier and points leader John DeFlorian in the Total Seal Piston Rings Camaro. Both drivers recorded identical 6.314-second runs, but Nobile’s quicker .035 reaction time earned the holeshot victory over DeFlorian’s .053.
On the other side of the ladder, Coughlin entered eliminations from the No. 7 qualifying spot with a 6.394 at 217.28. He opened by defeating reigning world champion Johnny Pluchino, running 6.337 at 221.63 to Pluchino’s 6.387 at 217.00.
Coughlin continued with a second-round win against Dennis Firkus and the Done Rite Auto Cobalt. His 6.327 at 222.73 and early advantage at the tree held off Firkus’ close 6.338 at 222.29.
The JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock season will conclude this weekend at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, where the 2025 champion will be determined.
