Sacramento Area Miata Owners Association
Membership Required
SAMOA was founded in 1990 by Paul Kile, and Audrey Hall. Their vision was to establish a local Miata Club Chapter in the Sacramento area, and that first year, there were 13 charter members. SAMOA was affiliated with the now-defunct Miata Club of America (MCA). MCA was established in 1987 and until it was disbanded in 2002 had over 65,000 members.
Since its inception, SAMOA has grown from its original 13 members to a peak of over 250 members. Presently the club boasts more than 130 memberships, more than 120 Miatas and over 200 members. Most are from the greater Sacramento area, however, some come from as far away as Fairfield, Modesto, Oroville, Lake Tahoe, Nevada and beyond.
SAMOA provides an environment where people who drive (or hope to drive) one of the finest sports cars ever made can get together and share common and unique experiences.
The Miata was created as part of a long-running tradition of lightweight, open-air, two-seat sports cars. It was introduced in the United States when the market for this type of vehicle had already declined. In spite of this, the Miata has thrived; and, more recently, has been the incentive behind the production of similar vehicles from other manufacturers. Tom Matano and his design team at Mazda were the driving force behind the design of this wonderful car, both the original model, the redesigned 1999-2005 NB Miata, the 2006-2014 NC MX-5, and the current generation 2016-2021 ND.
Over the course of the year, SAMOA offers a wide variety of functions and events that all members are encouraged to attend, including the monthly club meetings. The meetings are held the second Thursday of every month and provide a forum for club members to socialize, swap Miata stories, plan trips, talk with local Mazda dealerships and get the inside scoop on technical issues. There is also a monthly raffle with a multitude of fun prizes for participating members. Above all, we all look forward to meeting new members at our monthly meetings.
But you bought the car to drive it, right? SAMOA also holds weekend fun runs throughout the year, which are typically short trips to predetermined destinations that in the past have included the Sierra foothills, north coast, Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe and local area wineries. Also, there have been a number of overnight trips to such places as Fort Bragg, Lake Topaz, Monterey/Carmel, Utah canyonlands and Oregon destinations. Any place that has a twisty, winding road is fair game for the Miata. These trips also provide a great opportunity to meet SAMOA and other regional Miata club members. In addition, SAMOA also sponsors autocross events and has sponsored lapping days at area road racing tracks.
SAMOA was the first Miata club to organize an annual regional Miata event, drawing upon owners from out of the immediate area. SAMOA’s Gold Rush started in 1990 when Jim Jordan of Mazda, Barbara Beach of MCA, and Jim Luis from the former Honey Mazda in Shingle Springs, decided to hold a fun rally. That first year, over 120 Miatas attended the weekend event. It was one of the first of many Miata events of national or international import to occur. The weekend event usually included a Monte Carlo night, music and dancing, fun run, time and distance rally, funkhana, aftermarket vendors, food and lodging, and raffle prizes galore. Proceeds from this event were given to a charity of SAMOA’s choice. Over the years, Gold Rush attracted people from all over the world, including England, Germany, Holland, Australia and Canada. Our largest gathering was in 1994, when there were over 280 Miatas! Although Gold Rush has not been put on since 1998, SAMOA members are encouraged to think of new, exciting events and volunteer to help make those ideas come to life.
In 2010 the club celebrated its 20th birthday at Bear Valley in the high Sierra. We rented the entire resort and invited our club members and also those from other clubs. The 3-day event attracted more than 200 guests, and it whetted our appetite for an even larger and more spectacular silver anniversary in 2015, which was held at Black Oak Casino near Yosemite National Park.
SAMOA members are a generous lot. Our annual picnic, held in the fall each year, has included a spectacular raffle which has raised nearly $10,000 for area charities since 2000. We currently designate a different local charity each year to benefit from picnic fundraising activities. Our picnic is one of the high points of our annual calendar, and is minimally priced to clubmembers and spouses/significants. Our annual Teddy Bear/Toy Run supports the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento. Specialty events, such as our trackday Got Guts at Thunderhill (held 2006-2008) and our 20th and 25th anniversary raffles at Bear Valley and Black Oak, collectively raised more than $50,000 for various medical and children’s charities.
Feel free to contact any club officer if you have questions. If you are interested in other Miata clubs located throughout the world and have internet access, you can log onto the Miata.net website at www.miata.net. If you want to find out about local goings-on, check out SAMOA’s web page at http:// www.sacramentoareamiatas.com.
For new members, on behalf of SAMOA, we would like to welcome you to the club. We sincerely hope that you enjoy your membership and can partake in the club’s many activities. We all look forward to meeting you at the next club meeting or event. If you are a prospective member, DON’T HESITATE -- JOIN NOW! Until then...
Happy Miataing!
Sacramento Area Miata Owners Association Suggested Road Trip Meeting Locations
Each month, SAMOA members sponsor trips to various locations in, and sometimes out of, our beautiful state. Most are day trips or less, however occasionally a weekend or overnight event is planned. Provided below are some typical locations where SAMOA members may meet as points of departure for our events (but always check the web page for specific instructions for each scheduled event).
Areas East of Sacramento (along HWY 50):
We meet at the McDonald’s on the corner of Sunrise Blvd and White Rock Road. From Hwy 50, take Sunrise Blvd South and make a left at White Rock Road. The McDonald’s will be on your right.
Areas North and East of Sacramento (along I 80):
We meet at the McDonald’s on Sierra College Boulevard in Rocklin. From I-80, take the Sierra College exit and go east across the freeway. The McDonald’s is on the right adjacent to the Chevron station.
Areas North and West of Sacramento (along I-5):
We meet at Starbucks in the new shopping centers in North Natomas. From I-5, take I- 80 eastbound. Take the Truxel Road exit, north. Make a left into the shopping centers. Starbucks is on the left.
Areas West of Sacramento (along I 80):
We meet at the Davis McDonald’s, on Chile’s Road in Davis. From I-80, exit at Mace Boulevard, cross the freeway and turn right one block.
We also meet at the AMPM/Arco/Burger King in Winters. Take I80 west, exit SR113 north, exit Russell Boulevard west, and follow it 6 miles into Winters. The meeting place is on your right across I505.
Areas South of Sacramento (along I 5):
We meet at the McDonald’s on Pocket Road and I-5. From I-5, exit on Pocket Road east. McDonald’s is on the right.
Monthly Club Meeting Location
Come out and join us for all the latest club news, event information and technical advice. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at Black Bear Diner, 2700 El Centro Road in Sacramento, California, 95833. The meetings start at 7:00 P.M., however our room is reserved for dinner and socializing starting at 6:00. Please check the website for any changes.
New Member Information