That article on the FAA IR is an interesting read
These US checkrides are potentially much more intense than UK IR ones, but they are quite doable because you live out there, fly 2x a day, and the checkride is the day after your last 2 flights so you are very very current.
I do think you need the NQ to get the FAA IR if putting the FAA IR onto a 61.75 US PPL - unless somebody has made a mistake and overlooked it, which is quite possible. That is just plain ICAO...