As a playing customer, I have been sitting here doing homework while I wait for the Ranked Pet Derby to join a game and race. I have been waiting for so long, for other players to "confirm" to a race, that I am able to eat dinner, still do homework, and write this idea/complaint.
The idea is this: King Island puts 15-30 minutes of effort into making the Ranked Pet Derby joining system exactly like the Practice Derby joining system (this means that KI will have to copy and paste, the same data that is used for the Practice Derby "entry/joining" system, over to the Ranked Pet Derby "entry/joining" system. If you still don't get what I mean, I am suggesting that, when joining a race (ranked or practice), the player creates a race (like in the practice derby) for others to join, or joins a race that is waiting for more players to begin. I'd prefer this over waiting for some AFK noob (who is holding up the races and has no clue they are even joined into the races, who is making it inconvenient to other paying customers by wasting their time and money) to "confirm" to the racing. I know that I am not the only paying customer who is having this time wasting problem.
As a smart paying customer who knows what "customer service" is, I suggest you take care of this problem.
I have NEVER got a ranked race. I even tried it with someone who thoroughly whipped me in practice just so I could see how it was done, and never got a race.
Can you leave the pet pavilion and go farm while you wait? What if you are in a battle?