I doubt that there is many in NA that needed V26 for any slots that are any way active on the bands,
Prepare to be surprised. DX is a renewable resource. There
are new DXers coming on stream, always.
There are also DXers who, having worked in eras where DXCC Challenge wasn't "the thing", have a lot of experience yet a lot of unfilled band slots out there and only now decided to fill them.
Anyone with DXCC Challenge 1000 to 1500, even in North America, probably had quite a few slots they were looking to fill.
Not to mention the increasing numbers of younger DXers who have decided to avoid cards. A V2 operation that promises LOTW (V26EI did) is going to get calls from those in NA that have the slots
worked but refuse to spend the bucks on cards. Some out of cheapness, some because, well, cards are a comparative
hassle; LOTW is much easier to actually
turn in.
In any case, that was a fine operation by any standard, mode percentages be damned.