I hope you're still rocking that rainbow coalition name tag. :-D
I think I may be totally missing the boat on the contingency process. Either I'm doing it wrong, or I have a completely distorted view of what my time is worth. I've "won" several Novice contingencies, and the best I can say for that whoopass process is that it serves two purposes:
1) Makes me feel like a real racer when I get to blurt out my "sponsor's" name and put their cool looking stickers on my bike.
2) I get to GROSSLY overstate they're value to Mrs. #120, as I quickly flash my coupons in front of her when I get home on Sunday night. Right before I misplace them, or throw them away when they expire.
I'm not really complaining - As Allen says, Novices don't really deserve contingencies. But before anyone gives me the "every dollar helps" lecture, I would urge any Novice who thinks he's reeling in the bucks to consider the time spent dealing with it to use that time making money the old fashioned way. Its much more effective.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't have been able to do more than maybe 4 rounds in 2011 without contingency. Netted around $300 / weekend and total costs before that were about $500. Not capable of winning it as Expert precludes me from sprinting. Do math, keep contingency.
Provisional Expert #98
Seriously. Think about how little effort it would take to make $500 bucks over a period of 9 months if you really needed it. If you were to take the time you've spent doing the math, filling out the forms, redeeming the coupons, blah, blah, you're making less than you could mowing lawns.
I still think that a intermediate class would be good saying that I raced my first expert race at Houston and will say it was by far with no comparison the most fun I have had racing yes I got schooled but damn it was a good time