[nicebloke]

So here I am, a co-driver in the US with an SCCA ClubRally license. What I WANT is to run some CARS National events this year and be eligible for national points. What do I have to do, and how likely is it that I can get it done before Maniwaki?

There seems to be required club affiliation, a medical exam, first aid course, and that doesn't even address whether I'm eligible for a national license given that my US license is only Club.

Help!

Neil.
Team SoCalRally Audi Quattro

 

[Paul Westwick]

If you have completed at least two club events (equivalent to regionals in Canada), then you would be eligible for a CARS national. Joining a club should be easy - several clubs have their membership forms online. (closest club to you would be WCRA - shameless plug here - form online at http://www.rallybc.com/wcra/wcra_mem_app.pdf ). That just leaves the first aid and medical. There is a one time only, 30-day exemption for people who have never held a CARS license before in their entire life, so you might be able to squeak through Perce Neige and then have 3 months to get the rest sorted out before the next national, Rocky Mountain.

Talk to Linda at the CARS office, and let her know what you're planning. She's probably very busy with post-AGM stuff, so be nice to her, and give her as much time as you can.

 

[Jeff Hagan]

You can enter Canadian rallies on an SCCA licence, but you don't score series points. You need a minimum of a ProRally licence for a National rally and a ClubRally licence for a Regional rally (or the regional-only portion of a National). See NRR B.I.A.9 for the rule on this (rules are on the CARS web site - www.carsrally.ca - under "Documents").

To score championship points, you need a Canadian licence and have to fulfil all the normal requirements:

- membership in a CARS-affiliated club
- medical exam
- first aid certification
- experience requirement (2 regional rallies for a national licence - I believe that ClubRallies normally count towards this; Sawmill counted for me)
- money ($149.50 for a National licence, IIRC)

The licence application form says that CARS needs two weeks; I don't know how long it would take for your application to get there from the US by snail mail, but you're cutting it close for Perce-Neige. Like was said previously, it might be a good idea to call CARS to check.

Jeff