I sorta overreacted I think so I'm sorry.
I actually don't know the rules for prize payout offhand but they're in the permit application papers I think. It tries to avoid the $900/$500/$200-ish/$90 payout from happening. I think the rules apply to certain category races and higher, not to Cat E or D races (since there are no rules on my races).
At races for racers, I think a wide prize list encourages racers who place outside the points but inside the money. It feels good to win something, even if it's not points towards an upgrade, and it encourages racers to return the next year.
The tall/narrow prize lists tend to reward the same people over and over again and leave out the more random 7th-10th+ placers.
Since I'm usually in the 7th-10th region if I place, I like wider prize lists, even if it doesn't differentiate between 4th through 10th place.
One of my peeves is when a cash payout is less than my entry fee (in single day races). As a promoter I prefer pre-reg for convenience, day of race for money, but I base the prize list on pre-reg fees to reward those who commit to the race in advance.
Also, although I want to change this for 2009, I don't get money from my race unless I win it in a race, so it makes no difference to me whether or not someone registers later or earlier. For me it's simply easier day of race if people pre-reg.
cdr