Comp, SS, and Stock handicapping is based upon the NHRA Index system (or Comp Personal Index). Handicap margins can be determined simply by comparing individual class index elapsed-time factors (as listed in NHRA National Dragster and on NHRARacer.com) *reference 2018 NHRA Rulebook- section 2, page 5. Indexes/dial-ins are displayed on the scoreboards and/or dial-in boxes prior to each race - it is the contestant’s responsibility to check boards for accuracy. Once a driver pre-stages, it is assumed that the contestant accepts the Index or dial-in as displayed and therefore is not entitled to a rerun resulting from incorrect dial-ins or Indexes.

If a competitor in Competition Eliminator accepts an incorrect index that gives them a competitive advantage resulting in a winning run, the event director has the option to re-run that round if the true winner cannot be determined by reasonable or mathematical means. i.e. red light, DQ, aborted run, etc.  If a re-run is awarded, the times from that previous round are voided and no CIC penalties would be in effect.

Comp, SS and Stock qualifiers must have a valid qualifying time to be placed on the eliminator ladder  (a valid Qualifying time is having a valid elapsed time that also passes fuel check and scales for that run – if a contestant breaks after the tree is activated and they do not complete the run, they will receive a qualifying time of 28.000 seconds but must also report to and pass fuel check and scales; event director can waive scales and fuel check at event director’s discretion).   If conditions should curtail scheduled qualifying attempts and the field is under the specified field size, the Event Director has the option of placing non-qualified entrants into the final eliminator field, including those without a valid qualifying time.  These drivers will be placed at the "bottom" of the qualifier list – order of placement is determined by points standing (National points at National events; Division points at Division LODRS events).