This event was attractive because the National status was going to bring a larger group of the most competitive drivers. We (mostly Oregon Region guys) have ben battling it out for the Division title for the last few years. You don't have to be going to the Runoffs to appreciate the accomplishment. It's a championship at a level above Regional races with the best drivers bringing thier "A" game.
Ken, nothing against a divisional championship, but in NorPac you're pretty much running against the same guys in the same cars at the Nationals as you are at the Regionals. That doesn't mean the competition isn't great or the accomplishment doesn't count but it waters down the National vs. Regional deal. Contingency money? Sure, I'll give you that.
Here's the 2011 NorPac Divisional Top 10:
NP 1 SM Matt Schultz Mazda Miata 352360 096 51 9 9 6 6 7 6 1x 9 12 5 4x 5 1678,1679,
NP 2 SM Jess Heitman Mazda Miata 169836 096 41 6 5 5 3 9 12 12 12 DNF 1344,1345,
NP 3 SM Ken Sutherland Mazda Miata 283190 096 38 7 5 DNF 12 12 0 5 DNF 9 0
NP SM Jason Rawlins Mazda Miata 411054 096 36 7 7 7 4 4 4 4 7 6 0
NP SM Bruce Wilson Mazda Miata 283191 096 31 5 5 9 5 5 12 0 0
NP SM Robert Linse Mazda Miata 391813 027 25 3 3 9 7 9 0
NP SM Thomas Micich Mazda Miata 415643 096 22 4 4 6 3 13 7 6 1678,1679,
NP SM Ed Zabinski Ford Mustang 151991 027 21 4 4 12 7 DSQ 2 0
NP SM Will Schrader Mazda Miata 343433 096 21 2 2 21 9 12 1678,1679,
NP SM Brody Goble Mazda Miata 431065 027 17 4 4 DSQ 5 12 5 7 1678,1679,
And the Oregon region 2011 SM Top 10:
SM Robert Linse OR 391813 32 40 ORP ORP 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 16 232
SM Matt Schultz OR 352360 0 30 20 14 20 16 14 ORP ORP 16 14 20 164
SM Bruce Wilson OR 283191 0 36 12 20 12 14 12 10 14 ORP ORP 130
SM Thomas Micich OR 415643 0 20 14 9 10 ORP 16 12 16 9 2 14 122
SM Eric Jones OR 376882 8 12 8 7 8 16 14 12 9 94
SM Thomas Ferrara OR 381628 7 16 5 9 12 16 12 8 8 93
SM Jason Rawlins OR 411054 10 10 9 8 9 10 56
SM Spence Gatrell OR 367993 9 7 5 7 14 10 52
SM Terrell Garrett OR 405182 2 6 6 2 9 2 7 7 41
SM Jim Graffy OR 67917 12 5 2 2 8 8 37
Gatrell and Graffy were both outside the top 10 in divisional points too. Down here, anyone serious about running Nationals registers as a SoPac competitor because the tows are way easier (I'll be the first to admit I'm a towing primadonna).
I don't think going from 1 National competitor to 0 national competitors is statistically significant to prove that tire choice has decreased the likelihood of SFR people running Nationals but that's another conversation.