Dear fellow rally enthusiast, 

The first CRS event of 2021, Rally Colorado, is just two weeks away, on June 5 & 6. The organizers have put together an amazing event with almost 140 miles of beautiful stages in the mountains of northwest Colorado. With 30 cars on the entry list so far, we anticipate plenty of thrilling competition in each of our CRS classes.

Hey, good news! It’s not too late to sign up to race! Come join the fray! Of course, if you can’t compete, the event could still use more volunteers, so please sign up to help out.

While the excitement builds for Rally Colorado, we also have some sad news. As you may have heard, Idaho Rally International will not run in 2021. Logistical challenges prevent the organizing team from putting on a high caliber event this summer. The CRS supports their efforts and we look forward to the event returning in 2022. We encourage anyone interested in becoming a part of their organizing team to reach out to the Idaho Rally Group. This is a volunteer-run sport and the only thing preventing us from having more events is people willing to step up as organizers.

If you were planning to compete in Idaho, we hope you’ll shuffle your plans and take your rally car to Colorado. It’ll give you plenty of great seat time prior to running our three remaining rallies of the season.

Following Rally Colorado will be the Gorman Ridge Rally just north of Los Angeles, then the return of the Prescott Rally and its scenic red rock stages, and finally our newest event on the calendar, Rally Nevada in Tonopah, NV.

As we emerge from over 14 months of battling a pandemic, the optimism about the upcoming rally season is palpable. There may be hiccups along the way, but thanks to you and the rest of the membership, the future of the CRS is strong. 

See you on the stages soon!

John Dillon
CRS Director

Dear CRS members,

THANK YOU. I am honored to be selected as the CRS Director for the remainder of 2021. I look forward to seeing you at an event when it is safe to do so.

THE CRS SEASON. The realities of the pandemic have forced the CRS to merge the 2020 and 2021 seasons into a single championship. In truth, 2020 is going to be a rare "18-month year" now hiding under the "2021" label on the calendar. Fortunately there is a reassuring light ahead of us. Already rallies are happening around the country including in our own CRS world. Check out http://www.californiarallyseries.com/ for details.

UPCOMING RALLY SCHOOL. In the meantime, the CRS is preparing for our upcoming rally school. Our first school was held back in 1997, and for a short while we had two or three a year, so we have lots of experience helping people get involved in our sport.

VIRTUAL THIS YEAR. However, unlike in years past, this year's school will be a purely virtual event. We are working really hard to provide you with a wealth of knowledge. Whether you are a newcomer interested strictly in rallycross or stage rally, or you're an experienced competitor, or one of our many wonderful volunteers or organizers, I believe you will find the material to be of value to you.

CHEAPER FOR YOU! The added advantage of a virtual learning environment is that we are able to dramatically cut your costs of attending the school--not only the entry fee but also travel expenses and time.

EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS FOR ALL LEVELS. Our virtual training session will be taught by a variety of talented and experienced rally folks, eager and willing to share their expertise. Even if you have stage rally or rallycross experience, we believe that you will take home some useful information to improve your performance at your next competitive event.

INVITE OTHERS. Please encourage others to participate, to share our passion for the sport. Let's make this year's school--driven to Zoom by the trauma of the pandemic--a positive experience and bring in new participants and new friends.

IT'S ALL THANKS TO YOU. The CRS has been successful for over 45 years because of you, the membership. We have a tradition from the very founding of the organization of helping one another, oflending our support to the events. Support is not just competing, but volunteering and organizing a well. If any of you wish to lend a hand, reach out to me or to your local organizers. Together, we can make the best of events possible for everyone.

IN CLOSING. Thank you for your vote of confidence, for allowing me to intrude into your inbox, and most importantly, for your support of the California Rally Series. I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Rally on!

John Dillon
CRS Director