During the NASA season, following the Hallet race, my plans to attend Skip Barber and NOLA were thwarted by the hefty expenses associated with the trip. The combination of my Land Cruiser’s gas-guzzling tendencies, averaging 9-10 miles per gallon at 70 mph. The cost to fill up round trip made it financially impractical.

Thankfully, the subsequent race was hosted at Motorsport Ranch Creson, which was just a 4-hour drive from Houston, making it a feasible option. The race weekend’s forecast predicted the arrival of a cold front accompanied by rain – far from ideal conditions for racing, but I relished the challenge. Wet track days truly separate the serious enthusiasts from the casual participants. Those who attend are the ones dedicated to honing their racing skills.

While it’s true that wet tracks don’t yield personal bests or record-breaking speeds, they offer a unique opportunity to enhance one’s car control abilities. Grip levels are significantly reduced, demanding precise inputs from the driver to keep the car on track. Every lap brings changing grip conditions, forcing the driver to stay focused and attuned to the car’s behavior. It’s a test of true commitment.

My AE86 proved to be a handful to handle in these conditions. The spectators may have loved the drift entertainment, but I was far from the fastest on the track. I quickly learned that treading too lightly resulted in loss of grip, while pushing too hard led to oversteer and sliding. Finding the delicate balance between maintaining grip and not drifting proved to be a challenging endeavor. The window is very small to find. I had to be assertive enough to load up the tires and generate heat within them.

My natural driving style leaned more toward oversteer vs understeer. But my ideal set up preference is a neutral handling. The Toyo 888R tires, while impressive in appearance with their aggressive tread design, it fell short in both wet and dry conditions. They were more suited for a car show than actual track performance. Adjusting the rear suspension to its softest setting mitigated the oversteer to some extent, making the car somewhat more manageable.

In contrast, the Hoosier slicks outperformed the Toyo 888R tires in the wet track conditions. After just three laps, the Hoosiers began to provide better grip, enabling me to secure a remarkable 3rd place finish in my class. Surprisingly, my lap times even outperformed half of the TT5 drivers, which I consider an impressive feat considering my car belonged to a class below TT5. In the world of racing, rain truly acts as the great equalizer, leveling the playing field for all.