The Southeast and Northeast have historically had very high FV participation.
4 majors races in the SE this year with the following attendance:
Sebring 6
Palm Beach 8
Road Atlanta 7
VIR 9
Average Majors FV Race participation = 7.5 cars
I don't consider that to be a healthy level of participation. There are regional races where only 0-2 cars are showing up. I can go back and look up the National race attendance before the majors program and see similar numbers.
The class will not survive if participation continues to slide. I don't know what the "cure" is, but it is clearly not the status quo.
You may be able to find some parts, but for a new racer faced with many choices, junkyard parts may not seem appealing. Spending many dollars for a "new" motor that is built with very few new parts may not be appealing. It doesn't bother me personally, I prefer to spend less and work more, but is that going to work for the new drivers entering the sport? The only thing that has shocked me as I work my way back into the sport is the low car count. I never raced with less than 17-18 cars and we usually had at least 20. At a regional level we are lucky to see any cars at many races.