Licensing advice

[rsr427]

About a year and a half ago, I devised my plan for getting into a feasible (for me) form of racing: club/vintage FFord.  Straightforward, efficient, ubiquitous, right?  Next winter, I am going to begin my car search in earnest.  (I've been trolling for over a year.)

I just completed the 3-day Skip Barber course and am trying to decide when to apply for my SCCA regional license.  I should be eligible due to my successfully completing the Skippy course.  But I am concerned about the two-year window for which the Novice permit is valid.  If I don't get a car next spring and actually get it in 2014 and the 2 years is up, will my experience with SB still be valid then?

If I am eligible for the Regional license, does this bypass the novice permit completely?  Finally, has anyone done the Skippy to Regional route, and what do I need to get from SBRS to provide to NER/SCCA?

Thanks all,
Ryan

[Magical Trevor]

Sorry for the delay in replying here, Ryan; welcome to NER!

Little insider info here: whether you're cleared for a Regional Competition License right off the bat (as opposed to a Novice permit) depends on your "Letter of Compliance" from SBRS, which they will furnish for you for a fee - speak to your School/Series Advisor (sales person Evan, Jeff, Chris, or Kelly). What the letter says (or more likely, whether they'll send it or not) depends on the feedback your school instructors made note of at the end of your program. Paperwork (the "dirt sheet") is sent from each Racing School event to the SBRS offices, and the sales staff will consult that before saying you're good to go on a racetrack they aren't renting themselves.

Hope you enjoyed your school, I was your corner worker! I'm hoping to get my comp. license on the merit of SBRS experience as well. If you have more questions, another resource is the NorthEast SCCA Divisional Administrator for Driver Licensing, Pete Smith.

[team-gpracing]

I did the Panoz school years ago and it was a breeze getting my competition license after that.  Like Trevor said, you'll need to get a sheet from them that proves you went and didn't wreck all of their cars.  It is mostly just paperwork and following through with everything after that.  The region is pretty reasonable as long as you are careful and responsible on and off the track.  Good luck and hope to see you at the track sooner than later.