Here is my proposal. And it involves no increase in entry fees.
It is our job to make sure as many race cars as possible get to the track to race, and it is NHRA/Track owners job to make sure there are fans in the stands that not only buy pit passes, but buy the Drag Dogs and T-shirts that they sell.
I think NHRA and the track owners have gotten lazy and expect to operate without any fans in the stands. There were 80 Stockers at the Houston division race last weekend and 20 fans in the stands.
I submit that there is an average of one crew member pass sold for every car & driver pass sold.