Originally Posted by bbbean

Oh good grief. Getting dropped and disrupting a race are two different things. Unsafe riders are a problem regardless of whether they're at the front of the pack, in the middle of the pack, or off the back. Someone who gets dropped and holds their line when they get lapped isn't a problem. Part of racing is getting around people in front of you.

If a course is too narrow for the pack to pass a dropped rider, officials will pull riders. That's their job.

The OP and anyone else interested in racing should go into any race with three priorities: To ride safe, and to do their best, and to learn something. There is no shame in being dropped or being pulled. It happens.