Well just a couple points. The guy stopping you has not one clue whether you are writing off expenses or not. As a business or as personal income/hobby losses. SO they will call it as they see it, period. Been there done that. Usually it is up to their discretion whether they see it as commercial or not. Even if it is a 3/4 ton truck and an 18' open trailer. As that reads if you can even possibly be compensated, IE winnings at a race or in some states even a trophy then you CAN be classified as commercial since there is a possibility of some form of compensation.

This whole deal is a mess. I suggest like others here. Don't act like an idiot, drive responsibly and vigilantly. Dont do anything that will attract attention to yourself. If you can be informed about what the state you are licensed in requires then all the better. However what was referenced here is federal DOT law, on top of what state requirements are. I dropped my CDL long long ago. I don't really want to have one again but at the rate things are going it may have to happen. If you want to change this stuff, first off good luck, government rarely goes backward with regulation. Write you congressman or senator and express your concern. Also SEMS and NHRA are about the only people lobbying on our behalf for change or a calming of regulation..