Feathers Sees Victory Slip Away at Port Royal on Double-Duty Night

Feathers’ focus was rightfully on the super late model given there was $5,000 on the line for the winner of the Spring Championship feature.

Time trials were used to qualify the highly competitive 33-car field and set heat race lineups.  Feathers went out late but registered the 3rd quickest lap in the field, a mere 0.081 seconds off quick time.

The inversion put Feathers outside row two for his heat race.  Just past the halfway point of the 8-lap qualifier, he raced his way into the runner-up spot and held on to finish there.

In the 25-lap finale, Feathers once again started outside row two but this time used a bold move into turn one to split the front row starters.  The Winchester, VA native drove up the middle past the flag stand, then moved to the high side of the speedway in turn two to pull even for the lead down the backstretch.  

When the field reached the start/finish line to complete the opening lap, it was Feathers leading the way.  He remained at the front of the field for the next twenty circuits, enduring several restarts but managing to keep the competition at bay.

With four laps remaining, the final caution of the event appeared.  On the ensuing restart, Feathers again took command with Dylan Yoder and Colton Flinner battling for second.  Flinner claimed the spot and came after Feathers on the final lap, squeezing alongside and making contact on the low side of turn 3.

When the pair emerged off turn four and came to the line they were nose to tail, with Feathers finishing second.

“The cautions hurt us.  Our American Racer tires fired off great but after all the cautions what we really needed was a long green flag run.”, Feathers commented.

“We had good speed all night.  We timed well and raced well.  Overall I’m happy.  I just don’t race people the way we got raced there on the last lap.  Wanted to come out of here with the win but I’m not going to do it that way.  I probably should have stuck to my line in (turns) one and two, then protected at the other end.”