Fast And Loose

DRIVING WELL ON SLIPPERY SURFACES IS FAR MORE THAN JUST DRIFTING.

- Brendan Mcaleer

A fresh coat of snow or an empty dirt road can tempt the drift-happy hooligan in anyone. But making time when traction is low requires a much calmer approach.

“The looser the surface, the more you have to be patient with your inputs,” says Nate Tennis, lead instructor at DirtFish Rally School in Snoqualmie, Washington.

The first step is to read the road. “Look for changes in color,” he says. A darker patch means an increase in moisture content, which translates to less grip. Too dry can be tricky as well. “Gravel on top of a dry road is like driving on ball bearings,” Tennis says. And remember, dirt can change with each passing vehicle. So what was flat and dry in the morning might be rutted and muddy on the way home.