I've tended to find that there's a few guys out the front on a level of play that I am unlikely ever to reach, and there'll be a few mid-pack or trailers that I am relatively even with.
It's the close running with those later guys that I enjoy

The track being played makes a big difference too.
In a 7 player tour yesterday I got third, third, last, first, DNF.
I hate Sol2 and Chenghou Project on phantom. But I can pull an absolute BLINDER on Metropia reverse