Chevrolet Blazer driver sees Tesla pull ahead of him at start of race and he takes it personally

Published on Sep 03, 2025 at 9:45 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Sep 03, 2025 at 4:09 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Alessandro Renesis

A Chevrolet Blazer isn’t the first thing you expect to see squaring up on race night, especially against a Tesla.

But under the lights at Seekonk Speedway, there it was, nose-to-nose with a Tesla Model 3.

Engines primed, crowd buzzing, the matchup already had everyone on the edge of their seats.

What happened next had the stands on their feet.

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The moment the Chevrolet Blazer said ‘nope’

This wasn’t your usual drag strip battle

It was a one-lap spectator drag at Seekonk Speedway’s Independence Day Thrill Show – two cars tossed onto the oval, side by side, winner decided in under a minute.

In one lane sat a Tesla, quick off the line and whisper-quiet. 

In the other was Charlie Guardino in his Chevrolet Blazer – a hulking, tire-smoking beast running a built LQ9 engine. 

Two very different machines, one lap to settle it.

The green flag dropped and the Tesla jumped out front, charging into the first corner with clean speed. 

Guardino pushed the Blazer wide on the outside, looking for a way around, but it didn’t land. 

For a moment the race looked set.

Then came turn two. 

Guardino cut low, the Blazer diving inside.

Suddenly it was a side-by-side fight down the final stretch. 

The announcers got loud, the crowd was on its feet.

Just before the line, the Blazer powered ahead. 

In less than a lap, the whole story flipped – from a clean launch to a chaotic finish.

Nobody’s safe at the lights

That’s the beauty of drag racing – the lights go green and suddenly the win is anyone’s for the taking. 

The Blazer proved it against the Tesla at Seekonk, but it’s hardly the only time the  script has been flipped.

Remember when a McLaren 765 lined up against a Tesla Model S Plaid

On paper, that was a mismatch – the McLaren is a seven-figure poster car. 

But once the Plaid launched, the 765 looked stunned (pictured below). 

Or how about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N shocking a Lamborghini Aventador SV

A family hatch staring down a V12 bull should’ve been a comedy skit. 

Instead, the Hyundai hung with it, proving underdogs sometimes bite back.

And then there was the Tesla Model X Plaid flattening a Lamborghini Huracán in a quarter-mile sprint. 

Proving the allure of racing is in its unpredictability.

At Seekonk that night, the Tesla got the jump but the Chevy got the last laugh. 

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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.