Huge Turnout for Inaugural Miatacon

LAKEVILLE, CONN. (31 October 2023)- Lime Rock Park was the scene of an unprecedented celebration last weekend as the inaugural MiataCon brought together more than 400 Mazda Miata participants from across the nation. In a twist of fate, Mother Nature added her magic to the event, gracing Connecticut with unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures holding steady at a comfortable 75 degrees and blue skies over the two-day event.

The picturesque backdrop of colorful fall foliage cascading down the Berkshires provided a stunning contrast to the rainbow of Miatas gathered at the track. Lime Rock Park’s iconic Spectator Hill, which usually offers breathtaking views of race cars tearing through the circuit, became an epicenter of excitement, with more than 1,000 fans filling the area on Saturday.

“To see the enthusiasm and camaraderie among Miata enthusiasts this past weekend was truly remarkable,” said Lime Rock Park President and CEO Dicky Riegel, who competed in the SM Class (Group 1) in his 1999 Mazda Miata.  “We had participants as far away as Michigan and Maryland enter the event with teenagers driving NA Craigslist specials to people in their 70s driving new NDs. The success of the inaugural MiataCon goes to show that the Miata community is not just about the cars; it’s about the people who share their passion for these remarkable vehicles. We are grateful for the support from our partners, the Sports Car Driving Association (SCDA), Mazda North American Operations, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda of Milford, Hoosier Tire East and Piston Foundation which made this event possible.”

Throughout the weekend, Lime Rock Park’s iconic 1.5-mile road course echoed with the distinct howl of Mazda Miatas as they raced around the challenging track. Participants had the chance to push their beloved cars to the limit, demonstrating the incredible capabilities of the Japanese roadster.

Sanctioned by the SCDA, MiataCon honored racing representatives of every generation of Miata from all build levels. Saturday featured on track action from three different groups; Spec Miata, Spec/Global MX-5/Exhibition MX-5, and HPDE.

On Friday, more than 40 MX-5s took to the FCP Euro Proving Grounds for MiataX, with Paul Vinas taking the morning session in his 2003 NB at a time of 42.73 seconds. The afternoon session was claimed by Robert Meany in his 2021 ND, with a time of 43.72 seconds.

Podium finishers were awarded on Saturday evening during the Miata Mixer with MiataCon themed hardware and contingency prizes from Hoosier Tire East.

Winners Sean Noonan (Spec Miata), Michael Stach (Spec/Global MX-5), and Massimo Risi (Enduro) were named Miata Masters and invited back to contend their titles, with entries underwritten by Lime Rock Park, to MiataCon 2024.

“The SCDA is proud of our partnership with Lime Rock Park and event sponsors in making MiataCon a success in year one,” said SCDA President Elivan Goulart. “We are appreciative of our sponsors and all of the racers, participants, workers, vendors and fans on spending two beautiful days at Lime Rock Park with us for some exciting racing and a fun atmosphere. We look forward to making MiataCon bigger and better each year.”

Mazda North American Operations, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda of Milford, SCDA, Hoosier Tire East and the Piston Foundation contributed to the event’s success, offering valuable resources and added excitement to the weekend with various fan activities and giveaways.

Mazda Motorsports also brought its new mobile Grassroots Consumer Experience Center trailer to MiataCon, creating an interactive consumer experience designed to celebrate the Mazda Miata, which brought Mazda executives and its dedicated community of enthusiasts together.

“Mazda’s concept of unity as a corporation is ‘One Mazda.’  MiataCon at Lime Rock Park last weekend proved this concept, by bringing us together as one team and one family,” said Sergio Gonzalez, Field operations District Sales Manager for Mazda North American Operations. “This will be the first of many family reunions, enjoying each other and creating memories together at our favorite playground.”

MiataCon concluded the Lime Rock Park 2023 season. The full 2024 season schedule will be announced in the upcoming weeks. Fans who missed MiataCon, can watch the Glimpse of MiataCon powered by Mazda of Milford live stream replay here: https://www.youtube.com/@LimeRockPark/