I would think that the 500+ participant rule is still part of it, no? I mean, they need to make sure the race has a sufficient field to make the results have any meaning.

They didn't have anything in there before about there being an elite purse, which is why I thought that the 500 person rule might have been taken out on purpose, like kyillee said.

The automatic qualifiers are cool.....I won't be using any of those, though :D. I think it's a bit easier than it was before, since you can still get a qualifier with a 12th place in a deep field if you go fast enough. The purse rule does take out the "race-sniping" tactic, though.

Good point, Kiylee, I never considered that. It's still very tough to make the cut. I think I made it in one race last year, but I don't know if the field was a full 500. Now if it's only races with prize money, it still be hard. 8% isn't that much when one really fast dude shows up!

Phil LaHaye emailed the participant list out today. Spencer Smith and Marc Bonnet-Eymard are going to be there....oh well....I guess it's a race for 3rd! Money goes 5 deep, though, so I might get my gas money back!