Words and photos by Spencer Bane
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Miata Reunion to celebrate 35 years since the first Mazda Miata was released. This was my second year in attendance, and I was able to get a better sense of what this event is all about. While I am not a Miata owner, I have grown to respect this little machine.
During my time in Petaluma and at Sonoma Raceway over the weekend, I was able to observe the love and passion that these people hold toward this adorable two-seater. The event is referred to as a reunion, and it is nothing short of that. Watching the interactions of these people made it quite clear that there is real kinship. They all share something in common, and they are all eager to connect on that shared passion. It was truly like watching cousins interact during Thanksgiving, gathering to bond just once a year.
From pop-up headlights on the NA’s, to lifted and dirt-ready NB’s, to LS swaps to body swaps; there was a widely diverse selection amongst the hundreds of seemingly similar little race cars. Yes, they even took their cars on the famous track known as Sonoma Raceway, where they were able to exhibit their driving skill and remind everyone why these cars are so greatly admired. The weekend started on Friday afternoon with the Moss Miata Show in Petaluma, where everyone gathered to prop their hoods open and show off their mods.
Watching the excitement of everyone as they greeted old friends and made new ones allowed me to realize the power of this community. There also appeared to be quite an extensive aftermarket for the Miata, as not one car was the same as another. There were wild and colorful paint jobs. Turbochargers, superchargers, and ITB’s. Stanced, bagged, and lifted suspension setups. Wild body kits, engine swaps, and even body swaps. There were two classic Volkswagen Type 3’s sitting on Miata Chassis’. One was a patina red “squareback” on an NA (first-gen) Miata- which is always great to see as it was a big inspiration for my own body swap build. The other was a shiny green “fastback” sitting on an NB (second-gen) chassis which is a daily driver for its owner.
The options truly seemed endless, as to how one could modify their own. Saturday had more than enough to offer with a parade lap around the track with every Miata in attendance, track sessions, and even the chance for autographs from the original designer of the Miata. The evening ended with a party and award ceremony for the car show on Friday. Many attendees had packed up to head home by Sunday – as plenty came from great distances.
The remainder of Miatas spent most of the day on track which was a great opportunity to witness the driver’s skills and get some action shots. This also allowed me to hear the array of exhaust notes creating a symphony of (mostly) 4 cylinders.
If you love Miatas or are just attracted to small, two-seater roadsters, I encourage you to check out the event when it comes through next year. I may even have to get one for myself to achieve the full experience.