purplerose22603
01-16-2008, 07:21 PM
Feathers honored for his 14 feature wins
By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star
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WINCHESTER — Bo Feathers will never know how many races he could have won during 2007.
What he does know is that he won more dirt late model races than any racecar driver in the Northeast during that time frame.
Feathers, of Winchester, will be honored with an award for that achievement during this weekend’s Motorsports 2008 in Atlantic City, N.J. The event, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, is expected to draw more than 30,000 people. NASCAR drivers such as Martin Truex Jr., Elliott Sadler, Casey Mears, Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader will be in attendance for the gala, which will also feature more than 250 racecars and 600 booths of racing gear and collectible items.
Feathers said the region includes states from Maine down to Virginia. He captured a career-high 14 races to win the award, which he believes has been handed out for the better part of two decades to drivers who earn the most feature victories in their respective auto racing divisions.
Though Feathers knew about the award, it certainly wasn’t something he kept tabs on — and though he races to win, it’s not the type of accolade he strives for.
"I never paid attention to it," said the 36-year-old Feathers, who’s been a racecar driver for more than 20 years. "At the end of the year I figure out what I did and didn’t do. I just make sure my racecar is right.
"It’s an honor, but I try to be low key. I put my pants on just like everybody else. I don’t think I deserve glory just because I win races."
Feathers, who earned three of his victories at Winchester Speedway, definitely does win his share, and the amazing part is that he said he could have won more. There were five different occasions in which Feathers was leading a race only to see his chances ruined because of engine failure.
"I ran about 48 to 50 times last year, and I had 14 different motor changes between two cars," said Feathers, who raced in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania in 2007. "There were more races last year that I didn’t finish than ever before in my life because of the problems we had.
"It was the worst season I’ve ever had in racing even though it was also the best."
It was the best because when everything was going right, Feathers was obviously hard to stop. As J.T. Spence said after beating the three-time Winchester Speedway Late Model Series champion in the Lee Stultz Memorial on June 15, "Bo is the man to beat around here. Make sure you put that in the paper."
Among Feathers’ highlights was dominating with a motor that supposedly was a disaster waiting to happen. On May 6, Feathers capped a three-day stretch in which he won three races at three different tracks (Bedford, Pa., Hagerstown, Md., and Winchester).
"I borrowed it from a friend," Feathers said. "We just figured we’d see how it runs, though I was told it was a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up.
"The first time out I had an issue with the carburetor, but it worked out pretty good."
Among Feathers’ other highlights were taking the Hagerstown-Winchester Shootout in April and taking the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series event at Bedford Speedway on July 13. A fellow driver told him afterward, "Nobody was going to catch you that night."
"(Winning that) was pretty awesome," Feathers said. "The guys who travel a lot were there, so there was some great competition."
Though Feathers said he’s been competing in about 40-55 races over the last 13 years, he said he’ll probably be more selective about the events he enters in the coming year — mainly ones that offer worthwhile prize money. Feathers said he’s been fortunate just to be able to race as often as he has over the years (owning his own business, Bo Feathers Roofing LLC, makes it easier), because it’s harder to secure sponsor money in an area such as this compared to places like New York, Pittsburgh and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
"With racing, it’s tough to quit cold turkey," he said. "It’s addictive. You want to keep doing it."
Before his 2008 season begins, the man who has raced late model cars against Carl Everett, Schrader and Wallace will get one more chance to bask in his 2007 this weekend in Atlantic City — even if he doesn’t like the glory.
"I just like to go out and win and have fun," Feathers said. "Fortunately I’ve been able to make a good career out of it."
By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WINCHESTER — Bo Feathers will never know how many races he could have won during 2007.
What he does know is that he won more dirt late model races than any racecar driver in the Northeast during that time frame.
Feathers, of Winchester, will be honored with an award for that achievement during this weekend’s Motorsports 2008 in Atlantic City, N.J. The event, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, is expected to draw more than 30,000 people. NASCAR drivers such as Martin Truex Jr., Elliott Sadler, Casey Mears, Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader will be in attendance for the gala, which will also feature more than 250 racecars and 600 booths of racing gear and collectible items.
Feathers said the region includes states from Maine down to Virginia. He captured a career-high 14 races to win the award, which he believes has been handed out for the better part of two decades to drivers who earn the most feature victories in their respective auto racing divisions.
Though Feathers knew about the award, it certainly wasn’t something he kept tabs on — and though he races to win, it’s not the type of accolade he strives for.
"I never paid attention to it," said the 36-year-old Feathers, who’s been a racecar driver for more than 20 years. "At the end of the year I figure out what I did and didn’t do. I just make sure my racecar is right.
"It’s an honor, but I try to be low key. I put my pants on just like everybody else. I don’t think I deserve glory just because I win races."
Feathers, who earned three of his victories at Winchester Speedway, definitely does win his share, and the amazing part is that he said he could have won more. There were five different occasions in which Feathers was leading a race only to see his chances ruined because of engine failure.
"I ran about 48 to 50 times last year, and I had 14 different motor changes between two cars," said Feathers, who raced in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania in 2007. "There were more races last year that I didn’t finish than ever before in my life because of the problems we had.
"It was the worst season I’ve ever had in racing even though it was also the best."
It was the best because when everything was going right, Feathers was obviously hard to stop. As J.T. Spence said after beating the three-time Winchester Speedway Late Model Series champion in the Lee Stultz Memorial on June 15, "Bo is the man to beat around here. Make sure you put that in the paper."
Among Feathers’ highlights was dominating with a motor that supposedly was a disaster waiting to happen. On May 6, Feathers capped a three-day stretch in which he won three races at three different tracks (Bedford, Pa., Hagerstown, Md., and Winchester).
"I borrowed it from a friend," Feathers said. "We just figured we’d see how it runs, though I was told it was a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up.
"The first time out I had an issue with the carburetor, but it worked out pretty good."
Among Feathers’ other highlights were taking the Hagerstown-Winchester Shootout in April and taking the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series event at Bedford Speedway on July 13. A fellow driver told him afterward, "Nobody was going to catch you that night."
"(Winning that) was pretty awesome," Feathers said. "The guys who travel a lot were there, so there was some great competition."
Though Feathers said he’s been competing in about 40-55 races over the last 13 years, he said he’ll probably be more selective about the events he enters in the coming year — mainly ones that offer worthwhile prize money. Feathers said he’s been fortunate just to be able to race as often as he has over the years (owning his own business, Bo Feathers Roofing LLC, makes it easier), because it’s harder to secure sponsor money in an area such as this compared to places like New York, Pittsburgh and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
"With racing, it’s tough to quit cold turkey," he said. "It’s addictive. You want to keep doing it."
Before his 2008 season begins, the man who has raced late model cars against Carl Everett, Schrader and Wallace will get one more chance to bask in his 2007 this weekend in Atlantic City — even if he doesn’t like the glory.
"I just like to go out and win and have fun," Feathers said. "Fortunately I’ve been able to make a good career out of it."