Cody Coughlin (born December 11, 1995) is an American professional
stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately . It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It ori ...
driver who competes part-time in the
ARCA Menards Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into the three nation ...
, driving the No. 72
Ford Fusion, and part-time in the
ARCA/CRA Super Series
The CRA Super Series is a super late model stock car racing series owned and operated by the Champion Racing Association. It is a touring series based in the Midwestern United States, which competes at paved short ovals. It was formerly known as t ...
and
CARS Pro Late Model Tour, driving the No. 1
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
/
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
, both for his family team,
Coughlin Brothers Racing
Cody Coughlin (born December 11, 1995) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 72 Ford Fusion, and part-time in the ARCA/CRA Super Series and CARS Pro Late Model Tour ...
. He has also competed in the
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...
in the past.
Racing career
Coughlin started his career in
drag racing
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most c ...
, competing in the
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorspo ...
's Jr. Drag Racing League, but eventually switched to
oval track racing
Oval track racing is a form of closed-circuit motorsport that is contested on an oval-shaped race track. An oval track differs from a road course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction, and the direction of traffic ...
. He began in
USAC quarter midget
Quarter midget racing is a form of automobile racing. The cars are approximately one-quarter (1/4) the size of a full-size midget car. The adult-size midget being raced during the start of quarter midget racing used an oval track of one-fifth of a ...
s, winning five races in 2009. The following year, he switched to
Late model
A late model car is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. (An early model car or classic car is a car old enough to be of historical interest; there is no usual intermediate term.)
The precise definition ...
s, and joined the
JEGS/CRA All-Stars in 2011. In eleven races, Coughlin finished in the top ten in all but one, while also recording four top-five finishes with a best finish of second at
Rockford Speedway
Rockford Speedway is a 1/4 mile short track high banked asphalt oval located in Loves Park, Illinois on Illinois Route 173. Rockford Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway are the only racetracks running und ...
. He was later named the series' Rookie of the Year.
In 2013, he won the series championship.
On March 5, 2014, Coughlin was signed to
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization owned and operated by former Washington Redskins (today the Washington Commanders) coach Joe Gibbs, which first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. His ...
's
driver development program.
In March 2014, Coughlin joined
Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West. Founded in 1982 by Bill Venturini Sr., Venturini Motorsports is th ...
for an
ARCA Racing Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into the three nationa ...
test at
Motor Mile Speedway
Motor Mile Speedway (formerly Pulaski County Speedway, then New River Valley Speedway) is a 0.416-mile paved oval racetrack in Dublin, Virginia. It was purchased by Shelor Automotive Group in 2004 and was subsequently renamed Motor Mile Speedway. ...
, followed by another test at
Mobile International Speedway
Mobile International Speedway is a 1/2-mile paved oval track along U.S. Highway 90 in Irvington, Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It was built by Walter "Skip" Wetjen, and opened in 1965.
History
During the golden age of stock car racin ...
, and he made his series debut at the latter on March 22. After qualifying eighth, he finished 13th. He made ten more starts in the season, with a best finish of fourth at
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in the Village West area near Kansas City, Kansas, United States. It was built in 2001 and it currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also held races at the venue until 20 ...
and
Kentucky Speedway. In 2015, he won his first career ARCA pole at
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway, nicknamed “'Dega”, and formerly named Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS) from 1969 to 1989, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base ...
, the first pole at the track for Venturini since 2013, with a lap speed of . On the
green–white–checker finish
In North American auto racing, a green–white–checker finish (GWC) is a racing restart procedure one in which the race is restarted from a caution period with 2 laps remaining. When the race distance is extended to accommodate such a finish, i ...
, he finished second after a three-wide battle to the finish.
On July 9, 2015, Coughlin made his
Camping World Truck Series debut at Kentucky, driving the No. 25
Toyota Tundra for Venturini Motorsports. Due to rain canceling practice and qualifying, he never turned a lap around the track until the race, where he finished 20th. He later debuted for
Kyle Busch Motorsports
Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. They formerly competed in the CARS Tour, ARCA/CRA Super Series, Southern Super Series, and the ARCA Mena ...
at
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than approximately south of the village of Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track ...
,
driving the No. 54 Tundra, where he finished 20th after being involved in a late wreck with
Ben Kennedy.
In 2016, Coughlin drove for KBM in the No. 18 Tundra for one race at
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NA ...
, while also running ten races in the No. 51, splitting the truck with
Daniel Suárez
Daniel Alejandro Suárez Garza (born January 7, 1992) is a Mexican professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing Team. He previously drove in t ...
. At the
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The reconfigured track measures with banked 20° in turns 1 and 2 and banked 24 ...
race, Coughlin took over for
John Wes Townley
John Wesley Townley (December 31, 1989 – October 2, 2021) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in NASCAR's Xfinity and Truck Series from 2008 to 2016, winning a race in the latter in 2015.
Townley's father Tony is a ...
in the No. 05
Chevrolet Silverado of
Athenian Motorsports while Townley was nursing an ankle injury.
On January 30, 2017, Coughlin joined
ThorSport Racing
ThorSport Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team was founded in 1996 as SealMaster Racing and is based in Sandusky, Ohio. Owned by Duke Thorson and his wife ...
full-time, driving the No. 13 Toyota and bringing JEGS over to sponsor him.
For 2018, Coughlin joined
GMS Racing
Petty GMS Motorsports, also known as GMS Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series, is an American professional stock car racing team formed by Richard Petty and Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. and operated by GMS Racing. In the NASCAR Cup Series they field ...
to drive their No. 2 truck full-time. However, on September 24, he was released due to sponsorship issues.
After being unable to find a ride in NASCAR after being released from GMS, Coughlin returned to regional pro late model racing.
On August 2, 2022, it was revealed that Coughlin would return to ARCA to drive in
the race at Michigan. He will compete in the race with a team owned by his family. It is his first start in the series since 2015 and first start in NASCAR since 2018.
Personal life
In his family, Coughlin is a third-generation racer. Coughlin's grandfather Jeg Coughlin, Sr. founded
Jegs High Performance
JEGS High Performance is the second largest mail order company of automotive equipment in the United States. It sells performance auto parts, aftermarket accessories, tools, and race apparel. JEGS was founded by Jeg Coughlin Sr. in 1960 as a small ...
, with Jeg and relatives like Cody's father John competing in drag racing;
uncle
Jeg Jr. is also a drag racer.
Coughlin began to work in
real estate development
Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw Real Estate, land and the sale of developed land or parcels ...
after he was unable to find another full-time ride in NASCAR after being released from
GMS Racing
Petty GMS Motorsports, also known as GMS Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series, is an American professional stock car racing team formed by Richard Petty and Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. and operated by GMS Racing. In the NASCAR Cup Series they field ...
. He helped plan the building of an
apartment complex near
New Albany, Ohio
New Albany is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, located northeast of the state capital of Columbus. Most of the city is located in Franklin County and a small portion extends into adjacent Licking County. New Albany had a population of 10,825 ...
in 2022.
In media
Coughlin makes a cameo appearance in the 2018 film ''
God Bless the Broken Road
''God Bless the Broken Road'' is a 2018 American Christian drama film directed by Harold Cronk. A loose interpretation of the 1994 song "Bless the Broken Road," the plot follows a mother who loses her husband in the War in Afghanistan and must c ...
''. For that year's Truck race at
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than approximately south of the village of Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track ...
, he ran a paint scheme promoting the movie.
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
) (
Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Camping World Truck Series
ARCA Menards Series
(
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
) (
Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Season still in progress
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coughlin, Cody
1995 births
Living people
NASCAR drivers
ARCA Menards Series drivers
People from Delaware, Ohio
Racing drivers from Ohio
Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers