I don't really know that I would call it "fraud and deception" myself, but be that as it may, the rest of your post is  a lot of male-bovine doodoo and we both know it.  At approximatley 60,000 lbs weight (essentially all movable) the sled is more then capable of stopping any 10,000 lb tractor, period, if it is advanced fast enough.  There is just not enough traction availible to pull that amount of dead weight, and more horsepower makes no difference unless speed it increased drastically.  All the horsepower in the world is of no use if you are hooked to a load which you do not have enough traction to move. The race sled is designed with one purpose....to do away with the nasty progressive load increase which keeps the tractors (and trucks...where the problem started) from getting up enough speed in the "draft times speed = horsepower" equation to let the hp become relevent.  If being able to stop the tractors is the concern, then add the bars, but leave off the pan drop mechanism.  They'll make the sled pull harder, but they won't interfere with the progressive manner in which the load is supposed to be applied.  This will return the emphasis to balance and skill where it used to be, effectively making the class "lighter" without changing it's weight. 

The problem is that 'they' want the tractors to go fast and make a 'good show.'   It's not about pulling, it's about the show.  Once you accept that, it all makes sense.  If you don't realize that, none of it make sense.  Personally, I liked it as a competition, but that's obviously not what pays the bills.  Go up in the stands and listen to the spectators talk....you will find far more who have not the foggiest idea what is going on then who do. At the last pull I attended specators near me were discussing how the engines in the super farms which were pulling ran on alcohol and that is why they sounded like they do.......'course, given some of the speculation that goes on about who is cheating how, maybe they knew more then they realized. 

I've been to plenty of tractor pulls with all classes.  I enjoy the pros because i like diesel high performance.  I still liked it better with a progressive sled instead of one which suddenly applies 75% of the load all in one instant.  If I wanted to watch a competion to see who could get up the most speed in a short distance, I would to to the drag strip.  I realize that 'the market has spoken' and said that I am "wrong" for holding this opinion, but I still have a right to it.