You're right, energy doesn't count apparently.

Well I guess it just takes practice, I just won by a large margin. Perfect zones are a must, they give a lot of boost bar. That explains it since I was huggin the walls quite a few times. This gives the mode quite a bit of strategy really, very nice. We need to accumulate boost bar but not that much since we begin losing speed in comparison with other short boosters. So it all comes down with the boost bar control and strategy, skill in piloting (perfect zones and laps) and skill in dodging the barriers and putting them in right places, like after a double or triple speed pad.

Congratulations, this mode is very, very interesting.