COLUMBUS, Ohio Cody Coughlin is shifting gears, literally.

The short-track racing veteran will follow in his familys footsteps and make his NHRA Pro Stock debut this season, driving for KB Titan Racing.

Pro Stock is something Ive always had interest in, said Coughlin, whose father, grandfather, uncles, and cousins have raced successfully in NHRA competition. My dad, John, raced Pro Stock Truck back in the 90s; and my uncles, Jeg and Troy, and my cousin T.J. have all raced in the class. Ive been around the country competing in other forms of motorsports for a long time, but Ive always found Pro Stock intriguing.

Im at a different stage of life now, and this is a good fit. Im looking forward to a great season with Greg Anderson and the whole KB Titan Racing team.

While his family was racking up NHRA wins and titles dad John is a multi-time division champion with five national event wins across three different categories Coughlin was winning races and championships in quarter midgets (five wins and two championships), followed by a very successful journey through the ASA Late Model Series. There, he pulled double duty in the ARCA/CRA Super Series sponsored by JEGS and the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, in which he was crowned the Howie Lettow Rookie of the year in 2011.

The 2013 season came with a multitude of accomplishments, including two wins and two Fast Qualifier awards to solidify the first of what would eventually be four JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour championships (2013, 2016, 2020, and 2021). In 2016, Coughlin won the ARCA/CRA Super Late Model championship along with the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour title, making him the first driver to secure both series titles in the same year.

Overall, Coughlin has secured 20 late model wins in national series, and his experience includes a stretch racing full time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
Coughlins interest in straight-line, quarter-mile racing was encouraged by six-time and reigning world champion Anderson, the most winning driver in the history of the Pro Stock category and a willing ambassador for the class that the veteran wants to see continue to grow.

I have a lot of respect for all of the people in the class that have done really well, including my family. I was congratulating Greg on his championship last year, and just in talking, I realized we had a good camaraderie. We get along, said Coughlin. I wanted to give the sport a try, and KB Titan Racing has a really great program that led to some fruitful discussions. We went to the track, and everyone meshed well. Its a good fit.

At a mid-January test session in Bradenton, Fla., Coughlin earned his Pro Stock license in a KB Titan Racing Jerry Haas-built Chevrolet Camaro, and shortly thereafter, he committed to a full season with the 10-time championship winning team.

For his first full pull, initial primary sponsorship will come via the high-end residential real estate business that he built from the ground up, Cody Coughlin Company, and the divisions that fall beneath its umbrella.

Ive been around the sport a lot in my life, so to some degree I was comfortable getting into the car, he said. But going through the motions was different than anything Ive experienced before. I think the biggest thing was how hard the car launches off the line. Ive driven a lot of fast cars in my life, but from the acceleration standpoint, it superseded anything else by a lot. After the first time, I understood the way it should feel. Im still learning, but Greg, Dallas Glenn, and Dave Connolly gave me a lot of great driving tips, and that helped me jump as much of the learning curve as possible.

The team is scheduled for a test session following the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout, which will take place Feb. 6-8, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Coughlin will make his Pro Stock debut at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 6-9.

Im looking forward to getting a few more laps under my belt, said the Columbus, Ohio, native. Now that Ive got the basics down, we can switch things up a little bit and really focus on every aspect of driving a Pro Stock car. I grew up seeing so many Wally trophies in the homes of my family members, and it would really be something special to get one of my own. Im most excited about being competitive enough to do that, and it would be a proud moment and really an honor to have a Wally on the mantle by the end of the year.

Short of that, Im excited to travel and see some of the tracks Ive heard about my whole life but never been to. This is about starting a new chapter after closing the book on circle track racing. Im really focused on my business, and drag racing is an exciting venture where I can get my competitive spirit out. I see this as the beginning of a new chapter in my racing career.