Story By: RICH WATTS / TREVER FEATHERS RACING – PORT ROYAL, PA – Trever Feathers has had plenty of success at The Speed Palace, Port Royal Speedway, in recent years but over the past dozen trips there, he has struggled to find the right combination.
The early March season opener at Port Royal Speedway attracted a quality field of 31 super late models, including a number of the top regional names. The day’s format called for four 8-lap heat races, which were lined up by a random pill draw. The top five finishers from each would transfer directly to the feature event, but only the top three would participate in the invert redraw.
Feathers lined up 4th for his heat race. He darted to the middle at the drop of the green and claimed 3rd on the opening lap.
By the halfway mark, Feathers had tracked down then runner-up Shaun Jones and wrestled the 2nd spot away. Colton Flinner, who held the top spot throughout the race, had built up too much of a cushion to be caught in the remaining laps, leaving Feathers with the runner-up finish and a spot in the invert redraw.
The 3, 6, 9 and 12 pills were the invert redraw options. The number pulled would determine the number of cars to be inverted to set the starting lineup in the 25-lap $4,000-to-win main event. The #12 was pulled, which wasn’t the best potential outcome for Feathers, but a 7th starting spot could certainly be overcome.
A quick start is almost a necessity in the highly competitive super late model division at Port Royal Speedway. With such close competition, the drop of the green is the best time to gain track position. The opening lap of the feature didn’t go Feathers’ way. From his starting spot on the low side of the speedway, he moved to open space in the middle entering turn one but was forced higher and ultimately lost a little momentum. He managed to recover and hang on to 9th at the completion of lap one.
The remainder of the afternoon was more of the same for Feathers. He hovered around 9th but couldn’t mount a charge deeper inside the top ten in the Hot Rod Septic Treatment, Larry Royston’s Septic Services, Martins Pumping Service, McFarland Custom Painting & Wall Coverings, Clem’s Garage, Leggett Engine Research, Feathers & Sons Roofing, Coffelt Graphics, Larry Royston Properties, Larry Royston Equipment, Bilstein Shocks, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Bo Feathers Racing, Barry Wright Race Cars, No.20.
Feathers would up 11th after swapping positions twice on the final lap during a tight battle with Austin Berry.
“We aren’t far off, but we just can’t seem to find the balance we need here during the features. We go from a little too tight to a little too loose.“, Feathers said. “I had a really good car earlier during the heat race but we just didn’t get it right for the feature. We are still in the mix now when the car isn’t quite right, so when we do get it right we will be good.
“Over the past year we’ve been able to go other places, adjust from our baseline, and win races. When we come here (Port Royal) the car just doesn’t react the same. We will keep digging. We will figure it out.“, Feathers concluded.
Feathers and the Larry Royston Racing No.20 will return to Port Royal Speedway on March 25th to compete with the ULMS.