Sounds like a couple of prime candidates for retro-active birth control!
You can patent almost anything - keeping and defending it is another topic - being NMCA had it and advertised it prior to the patent date - its a pretty lame argument on their end and really detrimental to the sport. It would be a shame if their new little group got the cold shoulder from sanctioning bodies or track owners - if you don't have a place to race you don't have a series! Litigation and racing never goes well for either party - only the lawyers make money in the end.