NEW RULES FOR R.A.C "CLOSED" PERMITS

NEW RULES FOR R.A.C. “CLOSED” PERMITS

WE have received the following Communication from the Royal Auto

mobile Club, which we commend to the attention of all trials competitors and officials.

The R.A.C. has had under consideration the general scope of reliability trials and speed events held in this country. All such events are run under permit from the R.A.C., which is responsible for the control of motoring sport in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The large majority of trials and steed events are confined to the members of

the organizing clubs, but in certain cases permission is given by the R.A.C. for members of other Automobile Clubs to be invited to participate—naturally with the agreement of the clubs concerned. A tendency has revealed itself during the past few years for such invitations to be extended very widely, in some cases to all recognized automobile clubs in the country (of which there are between four and five hundred) with the result that the event in question becomes in effect, open to everyb ody, It is felt by the R. ts.C. that it is not

in the best interests of the sport that events of this type—and more particularly reliability trials held on the open road— should be encouraged. The possibility of annoyance to the general public caused by frequent trials with large entries must be considered, and the interference with the normal activities of the various clubs by continuous invitations to participate in outside events is an undesirable feature. For these reasons, and in the belief that the successful development of a club lies in the attractions of its own programme, the R.A.C. has framed regulations which will govern the issue of permits for closed competitions in 1934. They are as follows :

RELIABILITY TRIALS. Permits will be issued to Clubs for this class of closed competition as heretofore where it is confined solely to members of the promoting club.

A club may apply for one permit each year, with the right to invite the members of five additional clubs to enter the Trial. The consent of the dubs So invited to accompany the application for the permit. The effect of this restriction will be that

no club will be able to run more than one extended trial during any one year, but it may have the opportunity of participating in similar trials if it is invited to do so by other clubs.

TEAM TRIALS. 1n addition to the above a club may apply for a permit for one inter-club team trial in any one year. Such a trial to be open to any recognized automobile club in this country, only one team to be entered from each club, and the number of members of each team to be not more than six.

SPEED EVENTS. For any form of closed speed event permits may include five other clubs in addition to the promoting club, the consent of such other clubs to accompany the application for the permit. No restriction on the number of such extended permits is proposed, but the Royal Automobile Club, the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club, the British Racing Drivers’ Club and the Junior Racing Drivers’ Club, will not be considered as clubs eligible for inclusion in such permits.

Steps have also been taken by the R.A.C. to prevent the clashing of competitions both as regards date or venue.