The week preceding the event was lightly dabbled with horrific rainfall that gave Houstonians the illusion of being on deck of the sinking Titanic, but without the pleasantness of that cool Atlantic breeze. Is that something the Atlantic is known for? Cool breezes? Either way, the roads were wet and it was a safe bet that the track would be the same.
The track was that of the Houston Police Academy. There's probably a joke somewhere in there about drifters and the law, but I'm above all that. For years the track at the police academy has been a great location for automotive events in the area. With marvelous curves and more aesthetic value than a parking lot with cones, it was a natural fit for drifting.
The rain did more than significantly dampen the course. It also scared away a decent spectator turnout. However, the rain couldn't possibly discourage the spirit of the drivers and their close friends and family who still attended. I met up with my good friend James, who brought out his Mercedes SLS for a go at the track. We hadn't anticipated that there would be more downpours throughout the day, so I ran home to grab a canopy to keep his tools, friends, and mother dry. Or at least as dry as you can be when the rain gets more sideways than the cars.
I also got to chill with Zach at his No Vacancy booth, promoting his clothing line that stresses there is no vacancy for negativity. Positive vibes only.
And Chan was there.
Throughout the afternoon, the weather did nothing to deter drivers from taking their cars out for a good slide. Zach rounded the corners like a pro in his E36 with a wing large enough to affect jet streams. Chan slipped into the right seat of his right-hand-drive JDM Nissan Laurel and looked majestic as he kicked up water and a bit of dirt. And James did things in that SLS that I'm sure would make some die hard euro fans cry. But we loved it all.
I got to snap a good bit of people making the best runs they could given the slippery asphalt, but the ocean falling down on us was more than I was willing to endure. So I packed my things and went home to be boring again and come up with more G-rated curse words.
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