Join the Mazda Family

Oh man, where to start.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Day one, was a 6-hour drive from Utah to Boise Idaho. I was supposed to head out with a couple of other Utah guys, but they were not able to make it. I was on my own for 6 and the only thing going through my head was, “Iโ€™m on my own, driving to a town I know no one in, I have zero friends and that I’ll probably be the only Mazda 3 there”. I made it my goal to make friends wherever it is I go or else this was going to be a alone and this trip would have been a waste. As I get into town I settled into my Airbnb and decided to hit the town. I only saw one speed that night but I was anxious for the next day to go to the events start.

ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย ย 

Day two, I went to this pancake house to grab some grub and I was shaking out of excitement. I head over to Keithโ€™s house and see four speeds outside. I immediately knew I was in the right place. I walk up to Keith and welcomes me with open arms and announces I am the only Utah guy to show up this year. I start talking to everyone and get to meet everyone who shows up and Iโ€™m having a blast every one welcoming me to Idaho and the first takeover for me.

Keith announces we will be going to horseshoe bend. A canyon drive day one, one I will never forget. It was a beautiful sight the entire time. Brett hanging out of Coreyโ€™s ย MX-5 MSM taking beautiful shots of everyoneโ€™s cars and even a drone in the sky.

Later that day we head off to start our first competition of the weekend, go-karting. Name of the game fastest lap time wins a prize. I can’t remember who it was that won. Then that night was BBQ night and drinks all around. Thatโ€™s when I got to meet everyone else who had shown up, share a couple of beers and enjoy the CorkSport koozies that were handed out.

 

Day three, I woke up in my car…well because of the night before.

Saturday was a slow and relaxed day of just hanging out in the garage hiding from the rain. While we hanging out in the garage some of the Oregon guys decided to adopt me and I can join them since I was the only Utahan. I also got to talk to Dale and pick his brain about tuning and learned a bunch about speed that I had no knowledge of as well. ย Later that night we head off to the raceway and Iโ€™m excited to see everyone run and see lap times everyone was laying down. There were a bunch of cool cars and Barett laying down some fast times on street tires.

Day four, the last day.

Everyone meets up to say their goodbyes, have a beer or two, share some last tales. The few people that have left a great memory for me where Keith, Jordan, Anthony, Aaron, Dale, Brett, Corey, and how could I ever forget Brian. As I head back to Utah with everyone on my mind and how my entire weekend went I wanted to turn around and just stay. I had made new Mazda Friends and Family.

Those four days were ones I could never forget. ย The feeling of being accepted into a group of people I didnโ€™t know and didnโ€™t necessarily fit in with was one that cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. When I came back to Utah, I couldnโ€™t stop thinking about my vacation in Idaho. How it ended so soon. How it felt like I started a new life for just 4 days. I want next year to come sooner so that I may meet the friends and family I now have in Idaho, Washington, and in Oregon. ย Thank all of you again for the wonderful experience.

Oh yeah, by the way, I am making the drive to the CorkSport Dyno Day and Show & Shine on August 25th – Excited to see my new/old friends!

CorkSport and Mazda Events

I absolutely love it when the fantastic humans at Corksport approach me to blog it up for them. ย So let’s dive right in, no time to waste.

August is kind of a sad month if you look at a calendar. ย No real holidays to speak of, it’s hot and miserable across the entire United States, and with the exception of Vigil of Assumption Day(whatever that is), August is kind of boring. ย But, look no further than the CorkSportโ€™s Dyno Day, Show & Shine and Drag Racing on August 25th!!! It’s almost like Christmas in August. Free stuff, raffles, food and drink but most importantly, great people. ย Be sure to let them know if you are coming on their EVENT PAGE!

Oh, you forgot who I am. ย Well, I put on one of the craziest meets for us Mazda junkies. ย Mazda Takeover, yeah, I’m that guy that annoys you on the Facebook groups reminding you to come and have a weekend of a lifetime. ย You might be wondering what that has to do with a Corksport Dyno day? I will gladly tell you.

Corksport has gotten behind Mazdaspeed Idahoโ€™s little shindig in a big way. ย ย You see, the good folks over at CS year after year make the trek, a pilgrimage if you will to Idaho for Takeover weekend. ย It’s only right that we return the favor! As soon as CorkSport announced their dyno day event, posts from Mazdaspeed Idaho members flooded our local page with questions, ideas, plans and straight up commitment to making the trip to CS in August.

I might be a little biased about the Mazdaspeed Idaho group being the best group of people ever, and they are. The cars in Mazdaspeed Idaho may not be showpiece material, nor are they the fastest on the planet, but us members love our Mazda’s as if they were show cars or all out HP cars. ย 

Hell, one member sold his Gen 1 speed and within a year picked up a Gen 2 just because he loved the community more than the other community options given his other cars, so that’s saying something about not only the Mazda brand, his local Mazda community, but it says a lot about Corksport as well. ย Having owned his new Mazdaspeed 3 less than a week, he was the first to commit to wanting to go with the group that forms to theย  CorkSport dyno day! He is beyond excited to meet the people and see the building where his car part dreams come to fruition.

As of right now, I’m guessing Idaho will roll into Vancouver with 10-20 Mazda’s, which is a huge improvement over the 4 we took last year. ย I’m really looking forward to this event, mostly because it gives the Western Washington Mazdaspeed and Nator OR communities another group to bond with. ย Which is what Mazda should be about, forming and building a strong, unbreakable community that forges lifelong friendships through one shared passion. ย I really hope some California members make the trip as well. It’s always refreshing to see other Mazda’s, other ideas, and other builds.

I didn’t ask my boss, I told him I won’t be available because I have race car stuff to do with my race car family. ย And you all should tell your boss the exact same thing, and show up for one hell of a weekend out at Corksport.

See you @ CorkSport August 25th!

 

Keith Eggert