Spotters are mandatory, its a safety element that far outweighs the inconvenience of being held up by a competitor. The faster you go the more important they become.
Here's the deal, a spotters job is to inform the driver. Who spun or wrecked, where, etc, but they also relay of an approaching vehicle(s), on what side, how fast, etc. Its the driver that processes this information, then decides how to respond and at what level. Its that response that will tell you the character of the driver and if they were racing hard, or just being a dick.
You race long enough you'll understand the difference.
And Bruce, I know exactly who you are talking about
I also have a rant, that Can Am doesn't support James and Johnny more. Those are the only two Maverick's out there in Production 1000 and its important that they are there, they could use a little love!