[Stewart Way]

Can't speak for others but I am not "against having consistent, logical rules".
I was just trying to explain how the ET vs equipment rules were explained to me when I was an NHRA techman. Guess I didn't do a very good job.
I agree they seem illogical but I think it is the easiest way for NHRA to enforce them.
Tech man or starting line/staging people look at the class on the window and know what equipment is needed.
As for the diff in the new classes vs traditional classes and the 318 example you used, I agree, it is illogical as we look at it. My GUESS is that when NHRA came up with the new classes someone took a stab at how fast the fastest car would be in the class and decided if it fell over or under 9.99. Can it be changed, yes. Will it be, ha.
There are other examples in SS of the equipment rules. If someone had an older SS/AA car (there is or was one in Div.ll) it was lumped into SS/AH when the class was made, no big deal until the fast ones started running quicker than 8.50. NHRA came out and said all SS/AH car have to certify to 8.49 which means funny car cage and other changes. If you are running 9.20 you still need to conform. Logical? No but easy to enforce.
Again Michael, I agree with you.