Green Shells and Banana's are both wonderful for first place. Use them to block red shells or to punish second place for getting to close with an easy hit but swerving right in front of them, or if you're a good aim knock em out with a green shell from a short distance back, or even use a peel to cover a shortcut. The only thing you're really at a complete loss against is lightning and the blue shell, but that's always been the case.
I've also gotten a horn and red shell in first place before, just far less often.![]()