I can't even begin to speak for others.. but back in the 60s and 70s, everyone I knew was at the track mainly for Pro/Stock, SuperStock ,Stockers, MP cars, gassers and altereds.. The dragsters were pretty cool if they had crazy combos like 4 engines.
It had barely anything to do with fuel cars.

In the late 70s, early 80s, fuel cars were actually in trouble and NHRA was worried they would loose that class.