oops! on a road race, hood is fine and you are not jockying and bumping into one another. On a crit, I prefer (most all of the time) to be in the drops. And no, my bars do not go way past my shoulders. They are 40cm bars. Can't find 38cm ones that fit right. So I compromised with a 40cm bars.

on a long climb, I prefer to be on the hood.

On flat, taking my turn in the rotation, I'm on the hood.

Fast technical descent with hairpin turns, down in the drops.

And yes you're right about not all races being ridden on/in the drops.

thanks for clarification being needed.