Why a Miata?
My father
bought an RX7 FD at the end of my last year in college. When I first saw these
cars in ’93 I immediately fell in love with them. A family friend bought
his new in ’94 and 
decided
to sell it in ’98 to my father with less than 20k very light miles on it
for less than $20k.
Lucky Bastard!
Shortly after he bought the car he joined the Mazda Sportscar Club of Washington or MSCW. There he experienced his very first track event at Summit Point Raceway. He described the experience as a dream come true. Mind you he did this in my dream car… my dream experience in my dream car… Lucky Bastard!
After I graduated from WVU (May 1999), I got my grad money and decided to save up so I could buy my first car with cash. In the mean time I was driving my father’s carpool car, a ’90 Honda civic sedan. I liked the car, but it still was a far distance from being my 3rd generation RX7.
A few weeks after I graduated my father
took me up to Summit Point Raceway so I could experience my first track
event… as a spectator. I shoulder tapped the head instructor Steve and
asked if he would bring me out during one of his driving sessions. He agreed
and that is when I got my first ride in one of the best driving machines to
date, a 3rd generation RX7… Yeah! After that twenty-five
minute session, I decided that this was the car I was saving up for.
After my wild ride with Steve, my dad and I sat on the bleachers in “the shoot”. We talked a bit about the heat problems of the super car I just rode in. We chatted a bit about the insurance costs and likelihood of me finding one in good shape. Then we heard some very unhappy tires as a blue Miata went spinning off track in the beginning of the esses. Once the puff of dust cleared we saw the driver throw his hands up and laugh as he pulled back onto the track and continued to finish his session.
After seeing this excitement in the Miata, I decided that this would be a more reliable and practical car for me. The tossability, durability, and affordability of this little roadster had me sold!