I've helt back on posting to this thread because i agree and dis-agree with a lot that has been said. First i run both NHRA and back country tracks and have for a long,long,long time. What no one has addressed, is the 1/2 million dollars insurance that NHRA provides for every racer in case of an accident, whether it be a major event or sat. nite et brackets. Try having a crash at you local backwoods track and you'll probably get billed for the ambulance ride to the hospital, not too mention all the medical cost. With that said i've been a member of NHRA forever and will continue to be. I've never built a car or owned one that would not certify NHRA. Most of the rules are in place for a good reason, although a lot seem stupid. IE: roll cage .125 mild steel tubing when you bend it it will stretch and become thinner than .120 which is the cut-off in certifaction. That's why it's safer to use .134 wall tubing, which weighs very little more and cost very little more. The engine diaper rule, i don't know how many of you have had a rod go thru the pan on top end, but i can tell you it can get harry at times when the oil hits the slicks, i've been there. Not to mention the cleanup time with so many people useing synthetic oil, that's a one hour cleanup. We all hate to come home from the track at 3:00am on sunday morning, and there's a lot of people using nitrous on engines not built for them so more blown engine in the future for sure.
I will continue to run backwoods tracks i love them, but at the same time i will contine to run NHRA tracks and know that i can certify anywhere i go to, and feel reasonable safe in the car i'm driving.
just my .02
Zip.