From the 2013 GCR, pg 140 (Appendix C)
2.8 Regional License
A. A driver who has completed all Novice permit requirements, including the acknowledgement signature of the Chief Steward or Chairman SOM, may follow the directions in the permit to apply for an upgrade to a Regional License. For the three consecutive weekends after he has submited his Regional License to the National Office for processing, he may use a photocopy of the Permit as a License to race. Or he may retain the original Novice Permit until he completes 4 Regional Races (beyond the initial 2 for the Novice Permit requirement) to earn a National License.

I've encountered a lot of confusion about Regional vs National licensing over the years. You can compete in a Regional only class and hold a National license. It's based on the number of races a driver competes in, not the class they are in

One of the more, um, memorable remarks I ran across was from an open wheel driver who was moaning about the IT people because they were "all regional drivers", so therefore they were "inferior" to the National drivers in open wheel classes.

I won't reprint my response to that here....