The prospect of heavy rain across southern NSW has forced the hand of organisers for this weekend's planned third and final round of the national championship, just 48 hours before competitors were due to start the event.

It is the second time in two years that events have conspired against the 25-year-old Canberra driver when he is arguably at the top of his driving form, paired with one of the best co-drivers in the business in John McCarthy, and aboard one of the fastest and best-developed rally cars in the country.

Last year only one round of the national championship could be held - here in the ACT, and won by Harry Bates - before the national wave of the COVID pandemic progressively shut down sporting events across the country and parked the series.

This year's championship, which usually spans every state and territory bar the NT, was similarly affected with only two rounds, in the ACT and Queensland, able to be held.

However, recent border reopenings had allowed a hasty rejuggling of the series schedule to wind up the championship with a planned one-day sprint event - the Kosciuszko Automotive Monaro Sprint Rally - based out of Bombala, in the southern NSW forests, on Saturday.

Now weather, not COVID, has proved the great interventionist.

Between 60 to 80mm of rain is forecast for Bombala on Friday, and between 4mm to 15mm on Saturday. Given the prospect of having to pay for any road damage that the competing cars would cause to the NSW Forestry-owned roads, the Light Car Club of Canberra faced no choice.

Kim Winks, the deputy Clerk of Course whose small team had worked tirelessly, says she was "gutted" to call it off this weekend.

"I had a bit of a cry about it this morning but this is the reality: these roads are needed for commercial operations," she said.

"It has been absolutely bucketing down here all day today [Thursday] and the forecast for tomorrow [Friday] is just as bad.

"The forestry roads here dry and drain quickly. But there's just not enough time for that to happen before competition starts on Saturday and we can't take that risk.

"We are a small club, we don't get any financial support from the ACT or the NSW government; this is all run by volunteers and supported by local businesses."

Motorsport Australia's director of motor sport and commercial operations Michael Smith said the cancellation meant no RSEA Safety championship can be awarded in 2021 "as heartbreaking as it is for everyone concerned".

But some seasoned competitors, including multiple ACT champion Trevor Stilling, have labelled the decision not to award the title to Bates as a "disgrace".

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