86FEST 2015: The Homecoming

• October 9, 2015
• Story By
  Justin Pagtalunan

86FEST is back! And not just back for another year, back home to Auto Club Speedway. The largest gathering of AE86s (old school Toyota Corollas) and FR-S/BRZs is now in its fourth year bringing old and new enthusiasts together. Going around the show you might get that car dealership feel with all of the AE86, FR-S and BRZs parked in rows and rows throughout the venue, but as you look closer you start to notice that no one car is alike. Every owner has his or her own unique personality and it shows in the styling queues their cars follow. AE86s have about two decades of heritage on the young'n FR-S and BRZs, but that doesn't mean you are going to find old rust buckets. Many AE86 owners, like Janet Fujimoto, take a lot of pride and joy in keeping their classics as fresh and as new looking as the day it came off the lot so many years ago. "86-love" isn't just for us simple folk. Just like the AE86s before them, the FR-S and BRZs are known for their nimble performance around the track, which make it an easy car to love for professional drifters like Dai Yoshihara and Ken Gushi. What other event outside of Formula Drift will you find these guys mingling with fellow attendees or even giving their personal car a quick detailing before the show starts? With the return of 86FEST to Auto Club Speedway, they were also able to bring back the autocross track to the show. AE86s and FR-S/BRZ owners aren't only about the show, but they also love the thrill of the go! A lot of the success of the current 86 movement can be attributed to Scion, since the debut of the FR-S back in 2013. It rejuvenated the enthusiasm for the model it was based off of and brought AE86s to the mainstream by supporting events like this. This year Scion brought out the newest additions to their family, the 2016 Scion iM and the 2016 Scion iA and made them available for people to experience their track capabilities. 86FEST truly had a little bit of everything, including a wedding proposal! That's right, this Scion couple flew in from Georgia to attend the event, but little did everyone know that Jay would be getting down on one knee. Luckily, Angel said "Yes!" (Photos by: Danny Nguyen)

Check out gallery for more photos from 86FEST 4: