In arcade racers, big jumps look fast. In time trials, the jump that wins is usually the short, flat one that lands on all four wheels and keeps full speed.
Why distance is not speed
Once you leave the ground, you cannot accelerate or steer much. Long air time also often means a hard landing that scrubs speed. A lower trajectory gets you back to the road sooner.
Approach straight
Hit ramps as straight as you can. Taking off at an angle makes the car rotate in the air and land crooked, which can cost more time than any corner.
Ease off before the lip
On steep ramps, a slight lift of the throttle just before take-off keeps the car lower. On gentle ramps, stay flat out.
Look at the landing, not the ramp
Your eyes should be on where you want to land. It helps you line up the car and prepare for the next turn.
Practise jumps in isolation
Find a track with a jump you keep missing and repeat only that section. Track builders often make jump practice layouts specifically for this.
Use jumps to set up corners
On some tracks the landing point decides the next corner. Landing slightly to the outside of a turn lets you carry more speed into it. Plan the jump and the corner as one move, not two.
Where to find tracks
Browse the community track collection on ThePolyTrack for jump-heavy layouts, and read the how to play guide for the basics.
Disclosure: written by the team behind thepolytrack.com, an unofficial PolyTrack fan site.