btw, you're covered by AMA from when they get your form, not from when you get your card. The AMA website has a lookup page that allows you to find out your number before the card shows up in the mail. So once you get the number, you're good to go, card or not. The only question then is weither your local club will accept it. Try printing out the webpage results. My club will accept that kind of notice, and the club membership director verifies with AMA anyways, card or not.

You'd think this wouldn't matter, but there have been times when cards were slow in coming, even though the new membership was "processed" and the person was covered.