So if you aren't making it to the finish flag, then how are you making up the time? Is it in the turnaround at the top left? That's where mine seems the slowest. Or possibly faster up the updraft without crashing?
I don't lose any time landing on the crashed UFO; my bike just comes in a bit lower. Yes, my trick is in the big ship, but I also had a lead (on the game I just submitted) even before I got there.
I've tried to "hang up" on the left side of the portal on the way into the big ship... to waste some of the bounce energy on entering... tough to do it without banging your head in the portal tho