Couldn't we just add a system for people who protest a bump where they score points for podiums, say, 1 pt for 3rd, 2 pts for 2nd, 3 pts for 1st once you get to x number of points (10 pts or whatever) you get bumped to expert? Takes the guess work out of the hands of the BOD and makes sandbagging to get contingency money impossible for more than a round or two.

I don't think it would be a terrible idea to take some contingency away from novice races and add to the places that score contingency in expert. So, say the top 5 or 6 experts get contingency. I always thought it was weird you could score just a much contingency money/coupons winning a novice race as an expert. But I really don't know much about what goes into getting contingency and sponsors set up for the races so I'm probably just talking way over my head.