DD is right - you're tacking force is probably set too low, but SDC is also right, because correct anti-skating force is determined by tracking force (more = more), and with a VPI 'arm, chances are you're employing very little to no anti-skating force at present if you haven't made the 'wire-twist' adjustment (or the dealer hasn't). I would second the recommendation for a tracking force in the top half of the specified range - or even just go straight to the very top when in doubt, and then you can experiment with auditioning slightly lighter VTF's, if desired, after your problem has been identified and rectified. I would stay away from trying to track at the bottom of your cart's listed VTF range - in most cases it will sound worse, and can cause far more record (and needle) wear if it's too light than if it's 'too' heavy (the recommended range will never really be 'too' heavy, as you can observe by looking at the degree of deflection exhibited by your cantilever's suspension when the tonearm is lowered - there will still be plenty of vertical travel available even at the max recommended setting).
DD is also right about the shape of the lead-in groove 'shoulder' on some LP's being more treacherous than others, but I wouldn't worry about the impact of groove modulation on skating forces. In fact, the way tracking force is set correctly using a special test record is for the stylus to be lowered during platter rotation, in the middle of the 'arms radial travel (the central area of the record's playing surface, about halfway between the lead-in and run-out grooves), on a smooth, *ungrooved* 'track' included for just this purpose, and the anti-skate is then set so that the needle tracks this grooveless area straight, without wandering toward the record's label or edge (this must be done after the tracking force has been set). Since VPI 'arms do not have a calibrated anti-skate control, I would suggest you should pick up such a test record.
Other than that, I also think it is a good idea to become comfortable and competent with cueing by hand, if you're used to depending on the cueing lever. It's tough to precisely line up the needle over the desired groove area with the 'arm being held aloft via the lever control, but you can also get a 'feel' when cueing by hand - unavailable via the lever - for whether or not you're in the 'sweet spot' of the Track #1 lead-in area just prior to releasing the tonearm, and you can reposition and make adjustments before letting go if it feels wrong. With the lever, you have to actually see the problem occur first, and then there's always a slight delay in the lifting action once you've decided to abort that can prove fatal. It takes a little practice, but once you've gotten adept at hand-cueing, you'll never go back to using the lever except maybe when the phone/doorbell rings during listening.
