NHRA got their marketing all wrong years ago when they started catering to the Pro classes. They failed to realize their money comes, not just from spectators but from racers and what'd they do? Start eliminating eliminator classes from national events, then divisionals. It was bad enough they got rid of certain classes & Eliminators years ago, but with their concentrating on Pro categories they're driving not just spectators but racers off to other venues where they can enjoy themselves.
Racers will race for little if any money but spectators don't want to get wrapped up in indexes & the technicalites of fuel racing, let alone the down time between rounds. With the new crop of factory race cars (CJ, Drak Pak, COPO) Nhra needs to resurrect the F/X class, & start marketing door-slammer racing like they did in the early 60s.