low buyin tourneys

How much skill is involved in a typical daily low buyin tourney that the cardroom just uses to fill up the live games afterwards? For example I have played lately in the $12 buyin limit HE tourney at Viejas in San Diego and have done very well, but I'd like to know if this can continue, i.e. how much this has really been due to luck as opposed to skill. These tournaments usually have about 100 entrants, yet last just two hours. Moreover, once there are only 4 people left, the tournament is over, and places 1-4 are assigned based on chip count (places 1-10 are paid, however.)
To quantify the question, consider the following two players: PLAYER A, a typical low-limit regular who is a slight lifetime loser, but is used to how all the other similar regulars play, and has had a lot of experience in these tourneys (plays a few every week.) PLAYER B is a "better" player, well-versed in poker theory, has some knowledge of proper tournament strategy, and has a positive EV in any reasonably soft live game. Suppose both A and B play thousands of these tournaments. Assuming most of the other players are like player A, he should finish in place 4 or better about 4% of the time, assuming there are 100 entrants. Now, (not taking into effect the fact that player B will gain crucial experience in such tournaments by having played so many in this hypothetical example) what percent of these tournaments should player B place 4 or higher?

I don't know the answer to how often you will finish top 4.
But, there is definitely skill involved.
I play in the tuesday night tourney there a lot. You always see the same cast of people in the final two tables.
why? because they (we) are the better players.

As you point out, a lot of the people are low limit lifetime losers. They also know very little, if anything, about how to play in a tourney. And really are just playing like maniacs figuring they'll go back to the ring games when they get knocked out.

it is tough making the top four though since there are so many maniacs and in this tourney where it jumps every 15 minutes one of the 40+ maniacs is likely to do well.
However, often the table at the final 8 or so is chopped up, so you don't need to be top 4.

I have only made the top 4 there once, fortunately it was #1.
We did chop it at 8 last time.

[shades]

A lot of maniacs? Are they more present in the Viejas evening tournaments as opposed to morning? I only play the morning ones, and I haven't noticed any maniacs really, just a preponderance of passive players, hardly any raises preflop, etc. Those are the kind of players I like to play against, as I know I'm probably not going to risk a huge portion of my stack to go to the river.

sorry for any confusion.
i never play the morning ones except the saturday morning like twice.
if they are passive, great. they aren't good then.