The Nats is rigged. I helped rig it.
I've tried to win the Nats myself. Unfortunately, a bunch of guys who know what they're doing and who work harder than I do show up.
You need to come up with a system whereby, the system is rigged against "those guys who keep showing up". That is, the harder they work, the less chance they have of succeeding, which should decidedly favor your skills and approach. Also, I suggest you develop a seeding system that strongly favors pilots with past combat flying experience.
That is, if they can’t handle a streamer attached to their stunt ship, this will severely negatively impact their first round scores. This should see you in the Walker Cup finals virtually every single time. If I can come up with any more rigging systems that may be of assistance to you, I will not hesitate to share them.