John Kuykendall

Class: B Stock Solo II
Miata: '95 R Pkg.

Like probably many other Miata owners, I've owned a succession of sports or sporty cars when I was younger, then moved on to minivans and station wagons while the kids grew up. Once I was back in the market for a sports car, I had been thinking about a variety of different ones from Porsche 944 Turbos and 911's to third generation RX7's. But after my earlier experiences with unreliable, finicky or expensive-to-repair sports cars, I was looking for something else. Then I remembered the Miata -- how the media raved about them when they were introduced, how they were the "essence of a sportscar" and all that. And, contrary to the research I'd done on cars like the RX7 and 944 Turbo, the Miata appeared to be about as close to a trouble-free sportscar as you could get.

What cinched it for me, was when I got to drive a fellow BRMC member's Miata in a local autocross "fun run". This car was fantastic!! The handling was so responsive, like an over-sized go-kart! And that shifter, it was the shortest throw and most intuitive gear control I'd ever used -- almost like a gear "switch"!! I was sold. I immediately started test driving every decent Miata I could find, and eventually came across my current ride, a pristine '95 R-package in Classic Red. Since then, I've caught the "bug", and have been adding every conceivable option or upgrade that I can, while still keeping my car legal for "B-Stock" Solo II (Autocross) with our local SCCA region.

Since purchasing my Miata just a little over a year ago, I've done a full season of autocrossing, participated in a couple of high-speed track driving events (MADS) at Summit Point with the Washington DC area Mazda Club, and attended the '99 "Miatas at the Gap" Non-Event in the Great Smokies of Tennessee and conquered the "Dragon". In between, I've found most of the great-for-driving country roads around here, cruised the Blue Ridge Parkway (a favorite pasttime), and tried to keep my Miata looking good. There's just so much you can do with a Miata, not to mention the club events.

I'd have to say that the most attractive feature of the Miata is that it's a simple, honest sports car. Sure, you can easily find other cars that are faster, or accelerate quicker, or are more powerful, are more exotic or have more prestigious names. I crave them, too, and would certainly like to own one some day. But it's hard to beat the fun/dollar ratio of the Miata, and the fact that you can drive it so close to its "limits" without exceeding every speed limit or law on the books. It's just a plain, simple, fun-to-drive car that makes the most mundane commute or trip like an amusement park ride. Try it, you'll love it!!"