OK, Al, maybe I should have singled out the 4-wide gimmick race. I feel that 4-wide reduces the ability to appreciate & dissect a contest, for the simpler and short-attention-span onslaught of sound & fury.
I'm just a traditionalist, and by nature bristle at "improvements" like 4-wide. And yes I know that at times in the distant past, other races were run 4-wide.
I agree with you about handing out Wallys like candy at Halloween; it tends to devalue the perception of those that were hard-won. I'm absolutely and vehemently opposed to "everyone gets a trophy", as in my mind it devalues success, and eventually, heroism.
My formative - and still cherished - experiences in & with drag racing were the golden years of Lions & other SoCal tracks, before the big money came in. I've said many times that while big money does allow people to turn pro & earn a living at their passion, it can come at a price that alters the sport in which they compete, so that the "Everyman" aspect is lost. That's why I said in another thread that I'm preferring nostalgia & bracket races.