Welcome to the next portion of the derby post series “Mind Over Ability.” This time, it’s all about speed! It should come as no surprise, but speed boosts are the most sought after derby abilities.

The speed boost derby abilities consist of the following:

• Big Boost
• Big Hurry
• Boost
• Hurry
• Mega Hurry
• Mega-Boost
• Super Hurry

Why might these abilities be useful? When your object is to finish a race the fastest, it never hurts to have a little extra boost! Speed boosts give you a quick surge of speed that lasts for a limited time. Different speed boosts last for different amounts and have varying cooldown times. While a huge boost like Mega Hurry (+100 speed) can look unstoppable on paper, it has a massive cooldown time of 50 seconds. In most cases, it’s better to opt for a less powerful boost that you can use more frequently – like Super Hurry (+50 speed and a 30 second cooldown).

Want to make the most out of your speed boosts?

• You usually want to use them as often as possible. The more speed, the better! As soon as your cooldown expires, spam that speed button and get ahead of your opponents!
• Remember that you can trigger multiple speed boosts at the same time. Use your keyboard, not your mouse, to do this. Each of your abilities correlate to a number on your keyboard. To trigger all of your hurries at the same time, simply press all of those buttons at once. A few seconds may not seem like a lot at first, but it makes a huge difference at the finish line.
• Does your opponent have a mute? Save your speed boost for when they use it. Mutes can be quite a killer on the track, but you can help lessen its blow if you time your hurry right. If you’re aware that your opponent has a mute, save your boost, wait for them to use their mute, and THEN unleash your power. You may not be able to cheer, but your boost can help negate that.
• Beware of Spiffy Pop. Ah, Spiffy Pop. Veteran racers will hide the fact that they have Spiffy Pop until the very end of the race. If you notice that you’re way ahead of the pack, save your hurries until the final stretch of the race. Once the finish line is in sight, activate all of your boosts and hopefully you’ll be able to outrun any Spiffy Pop users.

Using these 4 guidelines, any racer can use speed boost abilities to their advantage. Stay tuned for future tips on different types of racing abilities!