They have no Facebook group. There’s no videos of them tearing up the street or tracking their cars together. They don’t even colour match. But they are, in fact, Team Mellow. I know this for two reasons: first, I’ve seen the sticker, and second, because Dave Vickers told me so.
Team Mellow consists of Dave Vickers, Devin Horsley and Michael Quinn. If you haven’t figured out the common theme that binds these three gentleman together, allow me to help. They are three of a kind when it comes to their chassis of choice: the Corolla.
As far as I can tell, Dave was born to drive an AE86. In the many years I’ve known him, he’s only owned Corollas.
Dave doesn’t find himself in the limelight all too often, unless he’s running around the track in hot pants with a megaphone. Usually he’s part of support systems helping others succeed. Dave spent an entire season working on Alex Lee’s Formula Drift team and when we met up for this photo shoot, he was helping his Mellow teammate, Devin, out at DriftWest round 1.
There’s something special about this purple Corolla that makes up 1/3 of team Mellow. It just seems like no matter the circumstance, you’ll always find Dave with a Corolla.
The second 1/3 of Mellow belongs to Devin Horsely and his 1UZ-powered track machine. When I first met Devin, this car ran a SR20det and I thought that was cool. If you were to ever meet Devin, you’d know this car is uniquely him.
If you look closely, you’ll notice the Devin Horsley signature wood lip. “Why wood?” you ask. Simple: bumpers can get expensive and that wood can save you from shattering a few. You may think it’s silly, but I’ve seen it in action and it has saved more than one bumper.
Up until recently, this was Devin’s tow vehicle. Although not quite a Corolla, you still get the idea and the level of commitment. Much like his AE86, this wagon also runs a 1UZ. But unlike his AE86, this unit rides on air bags.
The final third of Team Mellow — and the most mysterious member to me — is Michael Quinn. He is relatively new to drifting, but seems to have a real knack for it. To quote his teammate, Devin Horsely: “Driving is either something you get or you don’t. And he gets it.”
Michael’s AE86 is equipped with a rare AE111 4A-GZE that has been paired with an aftermarket supercharger pulley for 14 psi.
There is something unique about each of their cars, but the thing that binds them all is their love for the platform. It isn’t uncommon to see car enthusiast abandon their chassis of choice for something newer, with more bells and whistles. At other times we see people upgrade to a newer chassis for more power. There is something unique about AE86 owners: they hold on to a piece of history that is long gone. Some might call it nostalgia, but as Mellow proves it’s anything but nostalgia. These cars are as relevant today as they were two and half decades ago because of people like Dave, Devin and Michael.