Actually, In the beginning of this thread, I was referring to much of the "spectator show" being lost.

In earlier years, it was cars that we could relate more to... great paint, chrome, and polish...violent launches...busted axles and driveshafts...guardrail to guardrail passes... wheelstands in every gear, 1320 feet of tire smoke!

As things have progressed, the cars make many more straight and uneventful runs. The competition is closer, and that is part of the experience, but the unpredictability was a big part of the "spectacle".

The popularity of nostalgia events would seem to indicate that many others also miss the "good ol' days" of drag racing.