I always shut off the fuel and pull chutes at the stripe, tow back. This is a N/A on alky dragster thou. If you shut off the fuel at the stripe, starting and driving back will not be easy as for it will suck some fuel out of the nozzles on shut down. Im sure everyone is a little different. You could turn fuel on before you turn off track I would think to bring engine back to life if driving back is what you need to do. I think my father lets his car stay running in the shut down, not sure as I am at the starting line, maybe he will chime in.