Hi Rob
I think it's a combination of factors.
1) cost is arguably lower. Lower entry fee, over longer time, over more drivers (makes it cost effective). Also no need for race tires (also cost effective)
2) more cars in the same class (in most instances it's only one class really) makes it really racing vs. competing for a podium spot with three other entries
3) entry requirements are easier (e.g. easier to get a license) and no need to do anything but race (no worker duties etc.)
4) often times, the cars in LuckyDog would have been ICSCC cars in the past. Old Miatas, Old E30s, Old E36s, Old Hondas etc. This rounds up multiple classes of car in ICSCC into one race.
I still believe Conference has amazing standards of conduct, training etc. The people in conference (racers to workers) are amazing folks. The ICSCC race school group was really strong on Saturday last week which was amazing to see. I place all of my racing discipline on ICSCC and consistently travel 5000 miles in a weekend as Conference is very special to me.
This being said, I personally believe the challenge with ICSCC is that it's trying to compete on too many levels (e.g. too many classes) and it is too hard to go racing. As a result this has thinned out competition and makes it less attractive to race. One of the people said in the school, "OK, so we're doing this school, where do we go next?". Chump/LuckyDog/LeMons, I would argue, has made it easier (not saying ICSCC is hard, esp. compared with other sanctioning bodies) to help a new racer know what happens next. Add to this lower barrier to entry in qualification to race, lower running costs and a far deeper field to race against and this is why, I believe, Conference has struggled. It's also super easy to turn up and race if you don't own a car. Some of the races are 12, 24 even 36 hours long. This means car owners are looking for paying drivers to cover costs but as a direct result this also increases driver numbers. Therefore the opportunity to get into a cheap seat to 'try out' racing is easy and we all know how the racing bug can infect a person's ability to think rationally about spending money on racing and entering another race.
As said, I want to see Conference prosper and these are my opinions that I'm sharing as why I *think* ICSCC - especially enduros - are struggling of late.
James