Story By: A2DPR / TREVER FEATHERS RACING – WINCHESTER, VA – If you thought things slowed down for Winchester, VA super late model pilot Trever Feathers after his final race of 2023 back in October, which was a victory at Lincoln Speedway in Pennsylvania, you would be incorrect.
Feathers went to work to do his best to build on the momentum he had established with his three victories during the second half of the season.
More on that in a bit. First, some other news out of the Trever Feathers Racing camp.
MOTORSPORTS SHOW
A lot of teams circle early March on their calendar and work to prepare their equipment for that deadline. Feathers was on a different schedule as he looked ahead to 2024. He was aiming for mid-January, not only so he could be ahead of the game, but also so he could have his Team Zero No.20 ready for an appearance.
Fans who make their way to the Motorsports Racecar and Trade Show in Oaks, PA outside of Philadelphia on January 19th-20th will be able to meet Trever Feathers and see his freshly unveiled 2024 ride at the American Racer booth.
Feathers will be on hand both days to greet fans, take photos, and sign autographs. He will have hero cards to hand out as well.
The show is held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and occupies over 240,000 square feet of the facility. The show is open 2pm-9pm on Friday and 11am-8pm on Saturday. Adult admission is $15, ages 6-11 are $5, and under 6 are free.
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Feathers received a pleasant surprise on December 18th when Port Royal Speedway announced their year-end awards. He was announced as the winner of the Super Late Model division Sportsman Award.
It was the first time winning the award for Feathers and he expressed his appreciation for the nod.
“I am honored to win the 2023 Sportsman Award from Port Royal Speedway. We do our best to operate as a class organization and do things the right way. I truly appreciate the recognition.”, a happy Feathers said.
NEW PARTNER
George’s Used Cars, located in Orbisonia, PA will join Trever Feathers Racing as a marketing partner in 2024.
“We are a family business that has been in operation for nearly 50 years. Trever, Bo, and their team are just like us. It’s a family deal and they are doing their best, working hard to compete. I can relate to and appreciate that, so we wanted to help.”, said Mark Viener, who operates the business along with his mother and father.
“I got to know Trever’s uncle Jimmy a while back. That’s where it all started. We used to race ourselves but after that ended, we have been doing what we can to support local racing and local racers.”
Fans should check out GeorgesUsedCars.com to see all the great vehicles and deals that are available or visit them at 180 Ridgely St., Orbisonia, Pa. 17243. Their phone number is (814) 447-3175 and they’re open Mon-Fri from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with Saturday hours of 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.
ROOM FOR MORE
Feathers is still seeking additional partners for the 2024 season. The team has prime real estate available on the right door and rear deck of their Team Zero racecar.
There is also an entry-level opportunity for a business to purchase a K1 RaceGear Firesuit for Feathers. The business would have full control over the design of the suit, which would feature its logo prominently on the front and back. After two seasons of use, the suit would be autographed and returned to the buyer as a souvenir!
OFFSEASON PROGRESS
Now let’s get back to where we started this update.
Not one to enjoy last-minute scrambles in February preparing for a season opener in early March, Feathers gets right to work in the shop when his season is complete.
“Rushing leads to mistakes and waiting can lead to challenges getting the parts we need in time. I don’t mess around with all that.”, Feathers explained.
“We unloaded our car in the shop after our win at Lincoln on October 7th and we had it torn down within a week or two.”
Feathers went over every component, replacing many of them to make sure he has a reliable piece when he hits the track again. The teardown and rebuild also provide the opportunity to ensure everything fits and functions the way it is intended.
By Thanksgiving the car was ready for 2024, minus a little sheet metal and a fresh wrap. That is quick progress.
“With the car ready, now we can focus on the trailer, the toter, and the shop. There’s a lot of work to be done to have those aspects of the program prepared properly too so we minimize the potential of missing a race or needing to load up early on any given night because we don’t have what we need to get back on the track.”, Feathers shared.
One area Feathers has been focusing on this winter is building depth in his parts inventory and preparing the car in a way that makes race night repairs faster.
“With our car, there are parts we need to fabricate. We can’t just go buy two or three of them, so I have been busy doing a lot of that. I don’t want to have to load up early because we get into a heat race incident and don’t have what we need to make repairs.”, Feathers commented.
2024 PLANS
Much like 2023, there will be a lot of Port Royal Speedway dates on Feathers’ 2024 schedule. A big chunk of, or possibly all of, Appalachian Mountain Speedweek is on his radar as well.
The team is also keeping an eye on other regional shows offering good paydays.
“We are based in Winchester, VA, so we usually have to travel at least a couple of hours to get to a race. There are a couple of super races each year here in our home town but we have to venture out for everything else.”, Feathers shared.
“We keep an eye on schedules in Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and all around to see what our options are. Given the cost of just getting there and back, plus what it takes to put the car on the track for a night, we have to do the math and be sure it makes sense for us to go to a race. Until we can add more partners to help our budget, that’s how we have to operate.”
An average finish of 7.1 in his last ten races of 2023, which includes three wins, has Feathers excited about 2024 in his McFarland Custom Painting & Wall Coverings, George’s Used Cars, Larry Royston’s Septic Services, Martins Pumping Service, Feathers & Sons Roofing, North River Farm, Leggett Engine Research, Team Zero Race Cars, Shane McDowell Racing, Coffelt Graphics, Larry Royston Properties, Larry Royston Equipment, Fox Racing Shox, Bo Feathers Racing, No.20.
“We are heading into the new year with fewer questions than we have the last couple of years. We figured out some of our issues and got on a solid foundation during the latter part of 2023. I’m optimistic about our potential and I hope others see it as well so we can continue to grow this program.”, Feathers said.