Having listened to the podcast it sounds like you guys had loads of fun on the trip, and it was a real experience. And actually (especially Brandon considering his lack of MTB experience) your laps count as excellent performances even if the overall outcome didn’t involve a top 15!
Finishing / finishing high up the rankings is not the only measure of a good weekend.
That being said, congratulations on your win, that’s great! (Hope it was fun too!)