the decline in contingency awards is twofold, only one is NHRA's fault
1. the administering of the contingency program by NHRA put undue financial obligations upon the sponsors for the benefit of NHRA not the sponsors customers. NHRA not only did nothing to enhance thier partnership as the sponsor dollars dried up they continued to apply more financial obligations to the ones who remained.
2. the appeal of NHRA racing waned as the "performance car" died for 20 years leaving the sponsors with no-one at the track to sell thier products to. No longer were there 30,000 spectators wandering the pits who DROVE a 69 mustang and wanted an edelbrock intake like the SS champ used who could be marketed to.
that's my .02 worth and i miss my class winner $1000
captain jack