autoevolution
 

Revenge of the ICE: Tesla Model S Plaid Loses 1/8-Mile Race to 1969 Chevy Camaro

You'd be forgiven if you thought the Tesla Model S Plaid was an unbeatable machine, particularly as the length of the race decreases since its strongest point is its off-the-line acceleration.
Tesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block build 7 photos
Photo: Born 2 Race / YouTube screenshot
Tesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block buildTesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block buildTesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block buildTesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block buildTesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block buildTesla Model S Plaid Vs 1969 Chevrolet Camaro big-block build
The 1/8-mile race format is a godsend for the Plaid as it's able to put down the 1,020 horsepower very early on, whereas its opponents usually need few yards to get their feet sorted and make use of the engine's full power without fear of losing traction. And if drag racing were restricted to stock vehicles, then the Model S Plaid would indeed have no problem wiping the floor with anything on four wheels this side of a Rimac Nevera over the 660 feet distance.

Not only is the strip open for all sorts of crazy builds, but it's actually the place where you're most likely to come across them. Make that the only place where you can meet them since they are almost guaranteed to arrive there on a trailer. That's how non-street-legal vehicles tend to get around.

This set of races you're about to see—all leading up to the 1969 big-block Camaro on nitrous versus the electric vehicle—takes place at the Miami Speedway track and features the sort of contraptions you would expect to find in a place like this: anything from your Mustangs, Challengers, and Corvettes to modified Silverado pickup trucks. And, of course, a Tesla Model S Plaid hell-bent on ruining the fun for all these gas-burning machines.

Well, the Tesla driver's plan would have been entirely successful had it not been for a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro monster-build. The big-block classic muscle car packs a nitrous system as well, but the actual amount of power it makes is a complete mystery. Judging by the way it moves, we'd say "more than it's humanly possible to comprehend" just about covers it.

As expected, the EV gets the jump off the line (both drivers have excellent reaction times), but its stay in the lead is as brief as they come. By the time the pair goes in front of the camera, the Camaro has already moved in front. Having failed to make the most of its party trick, it never looks likely that the Model S Plaid could claw its way back. Not that there's too much time to think about it: the whole race is over in just 6.153 seconds (0.038 seconds more for the Tesla). The internal combustion engine isn't dead; it just needs all the help it can get from the NOS and those huge tires to stand a chance, and even then, it’s a clear case of apples to oranges.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Vlad Mitrache
Vlad Mitrache profile photo

"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories