The years I lived in So. Cal. I never had a desire to attend LARS as I'm not that in to roadsters. It sounds as though what happened this year is somewhat similar to what happened at Topeka with the change of ownership around 2007/8.
I started going to Topeka in 1995 when it was a fall event and in all my drag strip years it was one of the best, Parking was great, handicap right on the strip, close to the tunnel on the pit side and camping all over the place. After a couple of rainouts, 98/99 I believe, I quit going till it was scheduled over the Memorial day weekend starting in 2002 I believe. With the change in owner ship came massive and ridiculous changes to camping and parking which, IMHO, drove fans away and I haven't returned, but it's my understanding that the latest owner has restored some of the parking that the other idiot took away. His handicap parking was anything but and he should have been reported.
Anyway, if something like this is happening at LARS I can understand. It doesn't make any difference what car/s and celebrities show up, if you piss off the fans, who pays the bills, you're going in the toilet.