As a Kid I always liked to play with marble towers and watch the marble randomly drop down. Well that being said, this is what inspired me to make this LOL map.
You can play with Gas and Brake right after the start sligthly to alter your fall and get different times. Other than that I dont really know if you can influence the drop much at all.
Of course the ending part on ice can be used to get some time as well if youre good on that.