[SS Engine Guy]

I agree, great post.
I drove commercial for some years also and if you think that a few pieces of paper (CDL, medical, log book) makes you a safe driver you aren't paying attention to what goes on around you. All politics and money. As in most everything else that governments decide to regulate. Not to mention the incentive to meet unreasonable time deadlines in order to make a living and or keep your job.
As far as money, I saved money by going the home on wheels route years ago.
- eating out
- motel 15 miles or more from the track
- rates raised or sometimes tripled if national event was in town
- paying for reservations for the next year to make sure you had a room locked in
- dealing with the non English speaking owners of most motels
- able to carry spares to continue racing instead of going home broken
To name just a few.
Did the p/u flat trailer for years and loved it. Barely could afford that. Raced at least 30 events plus and local stuff. Great experience. Would do it all over again without a large rig if I were 25 years younger. Have the greatest respect and admiration for anyone doing it now!
My stuff is registered as recreational. Not by my doing, by my state's doing. Even have had my rigs several times at the state Dot to make sure everything I was doing was correct. Been ticketed twice in other states for BS because they couldn't find anything wrong. Went to higher court and had both thrown out. Judge called BS. Lawyer called lawsuit. One demoted, one lost job with only 2 years to retire. Cost me money and some traveling time but learned how the scam works. Stop me, insult me, curse me, threaten me, impound me, ticket me, enter my vehicle/trailer without probable cause or warrant. I will be the most polite and compliant person that you ever dealt with. And it will all from start to finish be video/audio taped rest assured. And be assured you will have to testify against me in whatever court it takes. So you better learn the laws and obey them as you require me to do.
That is what racers are going to have to do. Sanctioning bodies don't apparently care, most track owners don't care until they post a "safety" check point a half mile from their track on weekends. The burdon, as usual, falls on the racer.