We all have cars that we’ve owned and miss because for reasons we can’t always remember, we sold. Today, it’s about Mary’s Miata. If you would like to write a post about one of your favorite cars, drop me note using the Contact tab above.

Mary has loved Mazda Miatas for a long time and thinks that they are just so darnn cute. In the past few years she’s test driven several Miatas but could never afford one. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago she decided that life was too short to wait and she wanted to start running autocrosses on one condition– in a WHITE MIATA!

We began looking at early NA Miatas, only some of them were not white but all of them were interesting. It started with the white 1990 model with BBS wheels that we came close to purchasing until the salesman let it slip that the car had recently been repossessed from a stripper who had stopped payment on the check and had hid the car is a stable with some horses. While test driving the car, she noticed that it made some funny noises but when we heard that tale Mary decided to pass.

Mary and I haunted the usual car search websites and one Saturday, we compiled a list of cars and went in search of the affordable Miata. We started with a black ’96 with steel wheels. While the miles were reasonable the car had seen hard use as an urban assault vehicle. The nice old, hippie couple who owned the car pointed at the hump in the hood and said “see that! You wrap a half a chicken in aluminum foil and drive up to the mountains and lunch will be ready when you get there.” I don’t think the Colonel’s secret herbs and spices included Castrol.

We called the next two owners on our list and left messages and decided to go take a look at a car that was further away. Along the way we drove by a Mazda dealer and asked if they had any Miatas for sale. “Nope,” the nice saleslady said but Bob in Parts is trying to sell his ’93.” It’s got a lot of miles (186,000 it turns out) “but the engine is all chrome and get this,” he says excitedly, “It has teeth.” Fresh from the mouth of “Ralph the Shark” there’s stainless steel teeth chomping away in the front grill. The engine is a work of art but when Mary tries to sit inside the car, a stong smell of tobacco smoke stops her in her tracks. “We can get somebody to de-stinkify it,” says Bob. But there’s more to how she came to get the particular Miata pictured…

Update: Since this was originally written Mary has undergone surgery and radiation therapy and was declared “cancer free” by her oncologist. The Miata is now gone from the garage but it not forgotten and she still talks about this car and misses it. That’s why I’ve been looking for a clean unmolested example, with manual transmission for her but so far have just been ‘kissing frogs.’

On March 8, SEMA President Chris Kersting praised congressional members for their introduction of a bipartisan (wow, something these people will actually agree on) bill that would protect thousands of American racers from EPA regulations.

The language in H.R. 4715 makes clear Congress’ intent to exclude competition-only cars from the scope of the Clean Air Act, including converted street vehicles. The bill was introduced by representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Bill Posey (R-FL) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY) to ensure that converting street vehicles to racecars used exclusively in competition does not violate the Clean Air Act. The practice was unquestioned until last year when the EPA published draft regulations that would make vehicle and engine conversions illegal and subject to the law’s tampering penalties.

Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a $1.4 billion market annually. According to the National Speedway Directory, there are over 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S., including oval, road, track and off-road racetracks. If the EPA regulations were to be finalized, the impact on racers, racetracks and businesses that cater to the racer community would be substantial.  The RPM Act has been assigned to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.  The EPA proposed regulations are scheduled to be finalized this summer.

Supporters of this legislation to overturn the EPA regulation may contact their member of Congress and urge them to support the RPM Act by clicking here.