The Tesla Model S is like that very athletic kid you never wanted to be paired with during a gym class competition because you knew exactly how it was going to end, and it wasn't good. Just look at the reaction of the Corvette C8 driver: what can you do, "it's a Tesla."
There are cars out there, either stock or built, that can beat a Model S Performance consistently over the quarter-mile, but there aren't that many. To do it, they would need to have either a tremendous amount of power or excellent all-wheel-drive and traction control systems. Or both, preferably.
How much power? Considering nobody knows exactly how much the electric sedan's dual-motor setup puts out, it's hard to tell, but depending on how many of the wheels that power is sent to, we're probably looking at 600 hp or more.
With 750 hp, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 meets the requirements with room to spare, but it has the shortcomings associated with a rear-wheel-drive architecture. With the quarter-mile race not offering that much room or time to get up to speed, finding traction will prove vital for standing any chance against the grip monster that's also known as Tesla.
Had this race taken place on a regular surface, the Shelby would have probably spun its wheels like crazy, regardless of what tires it had wrapped around them. However, this is a prepped drag racing track, and to even out the odds even further, the GT500 is also on Mickey Thompson drag radials. And it shows.
Even so, the two cars are still very evenly matched, though the way they approach a drag race is completely different. The Tesla relies on a good start and putting as much distance between itself and its opponent during the first half of the distance as possible, knowing very well that the gap will become narrower and narrower the closer the finish line is going to get.
The Shelby GT500, on the other hand, also needs a good start simply to make sure it stays in the race. It has to accept the fact it'll be looking at the Model S' rear end for the good part of the race, but then, if things go well, it should come flying by just before the finish. That said, the difference in the trap speed between the two isn't as great as you might expect: 127.5 mph (205.2 kph) for the Ford Mustang and 122.3 mph (196.8 kph) for the Tesla.
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