Break car & allowed replacement @ Columbus??

[Chris Williams]

You're right, time runs are a courtesy for SC/SG racers.

Originally Posted by NHRA Rulebook

All qualifiers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, and Stock must have a valid elapsed time recorded to be placed into eliminator competition. If conditions should curtail scheduled qualifying attempts in Super Stock or Stock categories, the event director has the option of placing non-qualified entrants into the field.

Note the conspicuously absent Super categories. There's no ladder until after round one, so it doesn't matter. Under "Ladders":

Originally Posted by NHRA Rulebook

Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street use random pairings for the initial round of competition, with those first-round winning times determining subsequent round pairings.

You could show up for round one and go. Tough to be competitive, but it's been done.