[Alan Roehrich]

I'll have to disagree with the premise that the economy has risen again. The fall has temporarily halted, to some degree. That's about as good as you can portray it. A lot of smart economists aren't looking for the halt to last, they're looking for the decline to continue.

People are staying home because of the economy and because they are dissatisfied with the way NHRA treats them in general, and not so much because things are being glossed over in tech.

Increased fees in general, terrible scheduling, decreases in contingency payouts, ridiculous policies, track preparation, and a host of other things, such as being considered third or fourth class "citizens", are the things you hear in the pits when racers are talking. Sure, they don't agree with things getting through tech that shouldn't, but that is not what is making them angry, or making them stay at home.

It's the same as it is for other forms of recreation that are no longer giving participants a good value for their dollar. Fans are staying home in droves, from drag racing and circle track racing. NHRA and NASCAR are for the most part committing suicide with their policies. Spectators and racers alike are starting to decide not to be a party to the decline. They don't want to be around when that final scene is played out and be victims of the disaster.