So I made a post a long time ago about “rubberbanding” (will refer to it as RB) in HCT. It’s there but not there and it’s very hard to explain. To me it’s not like say a Mario kart game or kart racer where there’s always someone behind you (you can clearly tell on the minimap on each stage how close another car is).

There is wonky AI at times. This can be when you boost at the beginning of a race (perfect timing boost at Start) and other cars either look like they’re in park vs moving like other cars. There’s a handful of those moments - also can happen in the middle of the race where cars are just “stuck” on the track.

Then there are cars that boost past you or boost into you that throw you off for a second.

But here’s where I think you think the rubberbanding is.

Later in the game (and this is for almost every track going forward) and definitely in the harder Endurance and Challenge modes), the race starts out and has everything I described above. BUT

There’s one car that does an ungodly boost (seemingly unlimited) from behind you and overtakes everyone. If it’s a series of races where you have to earn 1st place overall to get rewards, it will be the same car every race. If it’s the longer endurance races, it will be between 2-3 other cars who are your main competition.

Now after they’ve boosted, and gotten ahead of you and the pack, it’s up to your skills to beat them. This is where the mini-map comes into play, how many boosts there are on the map and rote memorization of the track (where coin placements, fuel placement, boost placements, sharp turns, or obstacles to avoid all the while trying to also nab 1st place. Sometimes there’s a 2nd place car right near #1 OR there’s the 1st place car far ahead and then #2 and #3 right beside each other and the best you can do is come up to the #4 spot as you’re trying to make your move with however many more laps you have and remaining boosts.

And the trick really is timing of remaining boosts and where you’re in position at. You’ll be able to beat 2 & 3 usually, to be put into the 2 spot. Now you need to see how far away 1 is from your position. It comes with practice but I usually know when I have to quit the race bc the 1 is SO FAR ahead it’s virtually impossible to win. I only do that in single races. If it’s endurance, or challenge, I usually take 2nd place and aim for 1st in the next few tracks.

But let’s say you see #1 off in the distance on the track. And you have a couple of boosts left. It’s all about when and how you use em. This comes with rote memorization of the track, boosting in straightaways or in curves your car’s handling can handle to gain the advantage. Once you get close, DON’T use your boost bc the lead car will boost right with you. Get close, allow them to boost (if it’s not the final lap and they’re not close to the finish line, and tail them, until you get close again, boost in front of them, and boost again. You should win.

This is much harder when the objectives get difficult (like don’t pick up fuel on lap 3 or don’t use boost on lap 1, or don’t get any coins on lap 1, for example).

Then there’s times when you get 1st place on your own and there isn’t a 2nd place car in sight. This is why I kind of say there is no real rubberbanding. You can outclass the competition sometimes.

I didn’t even mention getting all the coins gives you an additional boost. And there’s strategy there and rote memorization of where the coins are can play to your advantage on when you get the boost on the map for collecting them all.

It’s just nuance really. The game has the DNA of older arcade racers so it might be off-putting for some. Hope you give it another go taking into account these strategies.