Racing tips

While you're waiting for your race to load or for racers to join, there will be a tip in a box at the top of the screen. These can be helpful to note and try out.

Here are all of the tips so far:

1. Typing accurately will almost always get you to the finish line faster than trying to type too fast and making lots of mistakes.
2. Every now and then a strange hairy racer named The Wampus might show up. Trust me, you will want to beat this guy!
3. The fastest way to increase your speed is to split your practice up into lots of short sessions, rather than one big session on occasion.
4. At the end of a line you should press SPACE, not ENTER. Pressing the ENTER key will activate a nitro!
5. Most keyboards have a small bump on the F and J keys (the keys that your index fingers rest on). This is intended to help you find your starting position without having to stop and look at your hands.
6. If you are having trouble typing the Bottom Row keys, try moving your chair back and elevating your wrists a bit.
7. When you need to type a capital letter, hold the SHIFT key with the pinkie finger opposite the hand typing the letter. For example, to type a capital F your right pinkie would hold SHIFT while your left index hits F.
8. Be sure to frequently check out the News page for interesting tips as well as product updates and changes. And be a part of the discussion!
9. The Scoreboard is a great way to show off your skills! You don't have to be the fastest typist in the world to place. You can also be one of our most active racers.
10. Typing Speed is calculated like this: The total characters typed are divided by five, which gives the total Words typed. Divide that by the fractional minutes, and you have WPM.
11. If you ever find a bug on Nitro Type, please let us know! And of course be as succinct and descriptive as possible about what happened, and what steps caused it.
12. While typing, try using quick strokes. Hit the keys and bounce off. Don't hold down or smash the keys. Just stroke, and bounce your finger back up.
13. Your body posture is extremely important while typing. Sit erect, keep your feet flat on the floor, and your wrists elevated off the desk or keyboard. This helps your accuracy, speed, AND your health.
14. Only move the finger required for the key stroke. Do not let those other fingers wander about the keyboard. They should always rest lightly on the Home Row.
15. Home row, home row, home row. We've said it before, and we'll say it again. Keep your fingers on the Home Row keys: ASDF and JKL; (this may vary depending on your keyboard layout)
16. Type spaces with whichever thumb feels most comfortable. Some insist that the right thumb is the way to go, but really it makes no difference.
17. Nitros are an excellent way to get a better place in a race, however they do not increase your WPM typing speed.
18. A Nitro allows you to skip the current word by pressing the ENTER key. Save these for big or extra tricky words.
19. Winning a race earns you 2 free nitros!
20. Be sure to check out the Achievements page from time to time to see your progress. You can win cash, nitros, and special rare cars that can't be bought.
21. (exclusive only to friend races) When the race leader starts the race, you will be given a few moments before you can start typing.
22. Do you like nitro type? Make sure to thank your teacher!