Laura and Dean Thomas started their relationship racing, although not in the manner they do today, behind the wheel of a Spec Miata.
They happened to be teammates in a 24-hour relay race, the 180-mile Hood to Coast run that crosses through Portland, Ore. Each runner did stints of 3-8 miles while teammates followed along in a cozy van.
Interest blossomed and it wasn’t too long before Dean convinced Laura to move from New York City out west. Now they live in San Anselmo, convinced that the setting is worth enduring their individual commutes. Laura, a financial advisor, drives to San Mateo each day while Dean, a software developer, commutes to Redwood City.
If that daily crawl isn’t enough time behind the wheel, they spend 30-50 days each year at the track.
It started when they began autocrossing in an 1986 Porsche 911 Cabriolet in 2001, eventually becoming instructors for the Porsche Club of America. Friends were time-trialing, doing track days at Infineon Raceway, and they gave that a try. Then it was time to go racing.
“We bought a Miata because it’s a very inexpensive way to get into racing,” Laura said. “We ended up loving it. The Miata racing is just so incredible. The fields are so big, and it’s very competitive.”
But at this weekend’s NASA event in Sonoma, they have a chance to solidify second in the Spec Miata regional championship racing under the banner of Momentary Laps Racing.
Racing with NASA is a perfect fit for their needs because each race day is separate with points-paying races both days. Rules allow them to both score points towards the team total. Dean has led the charge with two wins and two seconds.
When they’re not racing they are instructing for NASA, PCA, Trackmasters, and the NSX Club, or even officiating as they do with NASA. Dean is an official of the Spec Miata class while Laura is the Rookie Race Mentor. She keeps tabs on the new drivers, helping them to ascend out of probationary status.
Laura’s biggest claim to fame thus far is a shared class victory in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill in 2008. Dean’s came just last month where he participated in a shootout among other Spec Miata drivers at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and ended up winning two free races in the Mustang Challenge pro event the next weekend at the track.
| 
|