Western Desert Racers - Overview
The Western Desert Racers is a Western Australian motorsport club that offers members the opportunity to participate in both short and long course offroad events. These events are held at several different locations and times throughout the year, providing for varying track and weather conditions.
To enter an event you'll need to be a member of an offroad club, and I'd suggest that the WDR would be a good place to start (there's also a few listed here (WA) and here (national) - look under 'Clubs'). You'll also need a CAMS Offroad (or better) license, a CAMS specc'd helmet, a race suit (but a set of overalls will suffice - however I think CAMS are thinking of stipulating they have to be fire retardant soon) and obviously a car that will pass scrutineering (generally conducted just prior to each event). CAMS licenses can be picked up for ~$250, club memberships start around $60, helmets about $100 upwards, overalls about $20, and you can probably get a ready-to-race car for a few grand.
To make things a bit simpler; there is a check-list supplied in the CAMS manual (and yes, you must purchase a manual when getting a license, and it helps to read it as well) that outlines the various bits and bobs that a car must have in order to be eligible for competition. This list is a good place to start, however in reality, it's really up to what the scrutineers on the day reckon, so try not to annoy them (too much) as many/most/all of the said items are for 'your' safety (plus all of the event officials, including scrutineers, are volunteers, and are only doing it because they want to). If something non-critical is found then it'll be noted in the vehicle's log-book, to be rectified before the next event. Of course, failing to meet the standard with certain items will mean putting the car back on the trailer.
As for the driving side of things... you'll need to pass an observed driving test (a simple matter of showing an official that you are capable of driving an offroad car) and then display "P" plates for the first couple of races. Note that in this instance, running as a P plater is simply a means of informing other cars that you may not be fully aware of the racing etiquette. With any luck, they'll make allowances for you...
