NHRA made the indexes so that everyone could compete. It's logical and right. RACERS figured out all the ways to best approach the new formats and developed what they thought would help them compete better. The first "throttle stops" were no more than a plate under the carb. The heritage series guys, 7.60, 8.60, 9.60, still use those plates but they are externally adjustable and manually set.
If you take a Super Comp dragster and hit a .4 tree with no delay box, you are going to go red every time. When the trans break came about, again by RACERS, they found this out the hard way and hence the delay box. That's why Competition Elim. is so bada$$, Think about trying to cut a green light off the bottom bulb in those featherweight cars.
The governing authorities really didn't make things like they are, the RACERS did. I understand the heads up as being no breakout, I get it. I just know where the term came from and that is all I'm referring to here.
Again, I LOVE this sport and am so grateful that there are so many different options for anyone who likes to compete.