The Masters Miata Club attended this first open house with a small contingency of 3 or 4, the following year was the only time I went and we had about 7-8, for the 3rd event it fell back to 3 or 4 and that turned out to be the last time it was a Club sponsered event. Over the next few years maybe one or two would drive over on their own, and I think they stopped doing the open house thing around 2010.

R Speed Open House

It’s Never Too Cold to Put the Top Down
By Tom Reed

If there’s one thing that Miata owners love almost as much as driving their roadsters with the top down, it’s getting together to show them off and talk about them. Miata owners from all over the world get together to hold events, take scenic drives, participate in tech sessions, or do whatever else comes to mind. The goal is to meet others that share a common interest and have fun. This past November, R Speed of Atlanta, Georgia held their first open house to accomplish this same goal.

R Speed sells a large variety of aftermarket parts for the Miata ranging from superchargers to crush washers. They can be contacted by telephone, on their web site, or by simply stopping by their store in Atlanta. They also offer installation, maintenance, and friendly, helpful advice.

Once the news of R Speed’s Open House spread, 200 people quickly RSVPed for the event. The day of the event, Mother Nature decided to cool things off with an overcast sky and a little precipitation. This only reduced the actual turnout to 180 people who came ready to talk cars, check out and buy parts, and enjoy Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Two people came from as far away as Japan (not only for the doughnuts), and others came from California, New York, and surrounding areas such as Tennessee. After all, who could pass up a free Miata event?

The cold weather may have impaired top down driving, but it certainly didn’t dampen spirits. Participants took part in a show and shine as well as tech sessions ranging from simple to advanced. A representative from Meguiar’s was on hand to demonstrate their products and provided tips on maintaining the perfect looking Miata. The tech sessions were hosted by Randy Stocker, a well known Miata enthusiast, and were full of useful information as well as up close instruction on maintaining
and modifying a Miata.

For those that are sometimes unfortunate enough to park next to a careless non Miata owner, a dent wizard made the rounds and smoothed out slightly flawed Miatas. People were able to mingle and take advantage of the many items on clearance. “When people don’t have to spend a lot to attend an event, they’re more likely to take advantage of the vendor area and pick up cool stuff at a discount for their Miata,” said Joseph Alfonso of R Speed. “The event was great and everyone had a great time,” remarked Alfonso.

With exhausts at rest, aural entertainment was provided by an alternative band that some would liken to Collective Soul. While the band played in the repair bay, lunch was catered courtesy of R Speed.

Later, a raffle was held with a large number of prizes on hand. One lucky winner went home with a Jackson Racing cold air intake, another with a new set of wheels, and several went home with Meguair’s car care kits. These lucky winners had an extra reason to be happy that they braved the cold weather to attend the festivities.

This event was a huge success by any measure, especially considering the short notice and cold weather. Next vear’s event is planned for September in the hopes of warmer weather and more lowered tops. For more information about R Speed’s Open House in 2001, or anything else regarding R Speed, they can be reached by phone at 678-290-7504, or online at www.rspeed.net.