On the surface:
Based on the description you have provided you should be looking for the #1 pill
That is still a good pill.

A little deeper:
Assuming there are eight cars in each heat race the numbers 9 and 17 would be equally as good

Deeper still:
Take the pill you drew, start in your position and step firmly on the peddle on the far right until the flagman tells you to stop.

I mean this all in jest-
I can understand your frustration with the reinventing of the pill drawing process
“If it isn’t broke – don’t fix it”