[Image]DEAL'S GAP 1998

Over 220 miata nuts and about 140 miatas from 16 states met on July 31st - August 2nd for the 2nd annual "Miatas at the Gap", a weekend of miata-driving-fun. The primary purpose of the event was to drive an incredibly twisty road known as "Deal's Gap" (a.k.a. "The Dragon"). This portion of the US Highway 129 running from a few miles east of the Foothills Parkway in Southeast Tennessee to Tapoco, NC is 11 miles with 318 turns. Either the miata was made for this road or this road was made for the miata, but regardless they are perfect for each other!

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Although claimed to be a "non-official / non-organized" event, a few members of the RAGS miata club in Tennessee did an outstanding job to run the show. In addition to the main Deal's Gap drive, various other roads in the area were flooded with miatas all weekend long. A "tech" session demonstrating superchargers, turbos, and roll bars was led Saturday afternoon followed by "The Great Gap Goodie Giveaway" where names were drawn to win a lot of great stuff donated by various miata vendors and supporters. All in all, it was a great trip to meet with a bunch of other miata enthusiasts and enjoy the roads and scenery of the great Smoky Mountains!

Below are some other pictures I managed to take when I remembered to take a picture (there was so much going on, I forgot to take more pictures).

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Lining up of the miatas before the big continuous run through the gap.  That's Rich Little's '94 Laguna Blue on the right... a very rare color!


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Here's my friend Rob Post from Florida.  He is standing next to the red '99 Vince Tidwell was driving.

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A group of us took a short drive down to a dam. My wife, Natalie, is standing at the left.

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This is a SHARP miata is owned by Rick Jones of Hudson, NC.  Nice wheels and style bar!

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This '93 Limited Edition is owned by Mr. Tony Cooper... equiped with a Sebring SC and FM ECU!... oh, and whoa.... nice FM Dual Exhaust!

Oh, and one more thing...  Deal's Gap isn't too far from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  These places are pretty much tourist traps but sometimes you stumble across really neat things to see.  For example, there are lots of shops and a few really "interesting" attractions like this!