Cody Coughlin to Pilot Fourth GMS Racing Truck in 2018

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer

GMS Racing is quickly becoming the powerhouse of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as they expand to a four-truck team. Joining 2016 Series Champion Johnny Sauter, sophomore Justin Haley, and rookie Dalton Sargeant will be second-year driver Cody Coughlin. Coughlin will take the wheel of the No. 2 JEGS Chevrolet Silverado for GMS.

Coughlin has 35 career starts in the Truck Series. To date he has one top-five (third-place at ISM Raceway) and three top-10 finishes, all of which came in 2017. Coughlin finished 13^th in the series standings in 2017 while driving for ThorSport Racing.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the GMS Racing family,” said Coughlin, “as well as be back running for Chevrolet. GMS is a team that has proven to be one of the teams to beat every time they unload at the race track and now I have the same opportunity. I can’t thank GMS Racing, Maury Gallagher and Mike Beam enough for this chance. I think we have the right tools and personnel in place with the No.2 team to run up front and contend for race wins every weekend.”

Calling the shots for Coughlin will be veteran crew chief Jerry Baxter. Baxter has 10 victories in the Truck Series with drivers Cale Gale, Christopher Bell, Darrell Wallace, Jr., Kyle Busch, and most recently with Kaz Grala. His leadership has accounted for 43 top-fives and 78 top-10 finishes.

“I’m more than ready to get the 2018 season underway,” said Baxter. “Last year we raced against Cody every weekend, so I have an idea of the type of driver he is. It will be even better to be able to work with him now firsthand. We have a good group of hard-working guys on the No. 2 that will definitely put us in the position to run well every time we’re at the track.”

Coughlin, the 2016 JEGS CRA All-Stars Tour and 2016 CRA Super Series Champion, will be returning to Chevrolet for the first time since 2013. He also has 17 ARCA Racing Series starts with five top fives, 11 top-10s, and two pole positions.

Now Baxter, Coughlin, and the entire GMS Racing team will prep for the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.