To me, once you start going to tube frames and fiberglass bodies, you've lost all function, and it is no longer a pickup truck. It becomes a drag racer, and NOTHING else. Now, if I wanted to watch purely drag racing in a non-streetable category, irregardless of my love of the cummins, top fuel would have my interest, and a (relatively speaking) "slow" diesel drag race vehicle would be just that... slow - regardless of the type of fuel used. Street-class diesel drags are cool because the trucks are functional. They still have most, if not all of their original abilities and functionality, like pulling and towing, off roading, hauling, etc. They showcase what someone can do to their own truck that they drive on the street every day. The same goes for sled pulls (well, MOST sled pull trucks are streetable... )
Maddog is a good example of a truck that maintains complete functionality, yet still is rediculously fast at the strip. Now THAT is cool stuff.
I do make exception for the cummins dragster team though. It is a team that understands their place in racing, and is respectful, helpful, and even encouraging to those building up streetable trucks. They make every effort to share their findings, knowledge and strategies with others. Theirs is an effort to advance the sport, and build the community, not to simply to boost their own egos, and pad their own pockets.
Maddog is a good example of a truck that maintains complete functionality, yet still is rediculously fast at the strip. Now THAT is cool stuff.
I do make exception for the cummins dragster team though. It is a team that understands their place in racing, and is respectful, helpful, and even encouraging to those building up streetable trucks. They make every effort to share their findings, knowledge and strategies with others. Theirs is an effort to advance the sport, and build the community, not to simply to boost their own egos, and pad their own pockets.