I got a kick out of the Miata owner's response "Believe me, I’m stupid but I’m not an ass."

Well, he's wrong on 1 count. Going to an event where you plan to push it on worn tires makes you both stupid and an ass. Pushing it on a public road makes you stupid and an ass. Crossing the double yellow line on a public road makes you stupid and an ass.

I mostly avoid Deal's Gap due to people like the Miata driver in this story (and especially on weekends). The track is 10x more fun and safe, albeit considerably more expensive.