True racers don't care if it's 1/8 or 1/4. If your willing to give up racing and sell everything because it switched to 1/8th, than your not a true competitor, you just enjoy making laps in a car. 1/8th mile programs are easier on equipment, draw more cars and is a quicker program. 1/8th mile racing it typically a lot closer at the strip due to the shorter distance. Some like the 1/4 because it gives them time to judge the strip better, personally I like 1/8th. I hit high gear, look once for the competitor and go off my gut as to what needs to be done to try and get that win light, no time to think. Look at all the BIG money races, not one is 1/4 mile...that should tell you something right there.
What a load. Been racing for a half a century, probably longer than you've been alive.......certainly a 'true racer'. I guess if being a 'true racer' is some yuppie who uses the car as a tool to make money, and next week is into Harleys or something, maybe I'm not. As a driver, I can see how some do like 8th better, but overall, it's bad for the sport. With less and less car count, big money races are going to fade.....the tracks can't afford the payout and they are not getting the car counts to support it. It's more of a problem each year. Drag racing is a passion, you look at it as a business.
