Got those Cabin Fever Blues? Need to get your Miata out but it's still not quite spring time? Looking for a picnic but three feet of snow kinda puts a damper on that thought? Well we have the cure for those "my Miata is stuck in storage blues", it's the first annual Miatawood Derby & Indoor Winter Picnic!

Remember those Pinewood Derby races from your Cub Scout Days, well this is along the very same lines as the Cub Scout races only with food and partying.     

We are planning a picnic with a glorious race event on Saturday, March 13th, from 1 PM to 6 PM at the Falling Oaks Homeowners Association clubhouse located at; 810 Guilford Boulevard, Medina, Ohio 44256. Everyone is invited to this kickoff event for what we hope will become the first of many Northcoast Miata Club Miatawood Derby & Indoor Winter Picnics. All you need is a car, no not the real thing, you need a Miatawood Derby car.     

There are four classes of cars; SM, SPD, RM and UM as described below. All four classes (except for UM) must use standard Pinewood Derby wheels and meet size and weight limits but with different style bodies, it's all spelled out in the rules. Use the profile pictures that, if printed out at 100%, will be the correct 7" size to layout the outlines of a Miata. I found that the same profile can be made to easily replicate any year Miata from the first to the last.     

The most basic cars will be in the Silhouette Miatas, the SM class, these cars could be as simple as a block of wood with wheels nailed on to it (Paint? We don't need no stinkin' paint in SM class.) to a nice cut out silhouette of a Miata with a great looking paint job or photo of your car glued on the side. The wheels for the SM class can be exposed or recessed and there does not have to be any attempt at a realistic appearance with these cars.     

Next would be the Standard Pinewood Derby cars, the SPD class. The SPD class would be for cars built to standard Pinewood derby rules and would include Pinewood Derby legal kits that are widely available. These too must follow the rules for the Miatawood Derby, which in this case match those from the Cub Scouts event. Got an old Pinewood Derby car gathering dust in the closet? It's legal for this class so dust it off and enter it.     

If you'd like to try your hand at carving a nicer looking model of your Miata then try Realistic Miatas, the RM class. These cars are made to look as much like a real Miata as the builder can manage. We're looking for carved wooden bodies, recessed wheels, correct Miata colors... this is the go nuts on your car category but it too must adhere to size, wheel and weight rules. 

Finally, for those who just cannot restrain themselves, there is the UM class. These will be the Unlimited Miatas, pretty much anything goes in this class other than these cars must still be the same 7" size as the RM class cars, but any weight, wheels, axles or whatever is legal in this class. Think that you could pop a mold off of a 1/24th scale toy and cast your own body? Have at it, because that too would be legal in this class.     

The actual race will be on a 32 foot track. Awards will be given for the fastest in each class and for the nicest looking car in each class, so do a nice job of construction, unless you're looking for the most awful car award.     Contact any one of us in the Miatawood Derby Committee if you're interested or have questions: Rich Velardo, chairman & head instigator; Charlie Rodgers, chief fabricator, designer & master painter; Denny Heim, supply sergeant, assistant fabricator & designer; Douglas Leavens, assistant fabricator & designer; Bob Rosenow, procurement officer in charge of trophies, assistant fabricator & designer; Dave Baker, assistant fabricator, designer & getaway van driver; Tim Graham, finance officer.

Click here to download the rules in PDF format.
Click here to download diagrams.