I seem to remember someone setting track records... and Damn near winning the Runoffs with a 92 VD. Apparently with NO Data and a FORD... Swifts have also proven to be very competitive on a (Majors) level this year.
The guys that are racing the PRO series are going to do whatever they can to win...no matter the cost... I personally don't believe this is stopping people from competing in the class on a national level, if anything it's helping.
Fwiw, the FF feild is alive and growing in the SE... Come join us! You don't need a 80k$ car.