Sounds like a no prep race. Yes those are full of that kind of BS just like they see on the tv show street outlaws. Monkey see monkey do.
I went to Thompson once this summer for a test and tune and low money race. It's a pretty back woods hillbilly type race track compared to what I normally go to. There was a shooting at dragway 42 this year during an import faceoff, but again that was not the normal racer crowd.
Most of my experiences at the track have been that people are as nice as you can be. Someone needs a tool or some type of assistance they announce it over the loudspeaker and within 10 minutes someone volunteers to help the person out.
I started videoing all my races a year or so ago. Subscribe to it and help me get rich off youtube. I think I have a run or two from Thompson somewhere in the mix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhDIfPyEudU