For what it's worth, the slowed down version of our non-ramp minibot climbing a slightly shortened pole in about 1.5 seconds shows it accelerating significantly through at least the first second. I'd extrapolate that it is not reaching the "most work" portion of the motor curve within the first half second. (I.e., a significant portion of the race time).
Probably time to lessen the diameter of the wheels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLZCNbcNopU
Sure wish we still had license access to Dartfish video analysis software...
(It's a physics rockstar)