Tesla Plaid goes head-to-head with Plymouth Barracuda in drag race, but the 'Cuda's mistake gives Tesla an easy win
- The Tesla Plaid raced the 900+HP Hellcat Plymouth Barracuda
- The Tesla Model S Plaid fitted drag radials to give it better grip
- It also shed some precious pounds to give it added pep
Published on Dec 27, 2024 at 8:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Nov 27, 2024 at 2:37 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Don’t call it a comeback but this drag race at Bradenton, Florida, US, between the Tesla Plaid and the 900+HP Hellcat Plymouth Barracuda isn’t the first time the pair have competed.
The Tesla Model S Plaid fitted drag radials to give it the upper hand on grip.
It also shed some precious pounds to give it added pep.
But it turns out that it was a mistake from the Hellcat Plymouth Barracuda that handed it the win.
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Tesla Plaid vs Plymouth Barracuda
The Tesla Model S Plaid owner removed the backseat and other non-essential components for the race shared on the Tesla Plaid Channel YouTube channel.
This shed 140 pounds from its weight and in addition to adding Nitto NT555RII drag radials on 19-inch wheels for better grip – it was on its best form.
In fact, these upgrades helped the Tesla Plaid improve its quarter-mile time from 9.26 seconds to 9.15 seconds under optimal conditions.

After its upgrades, the Tesla Plaid’s initial solo run was a success, doing a respectable 9.27 seconds at 152mph (245km/h).
Its competitor, a Hellcat-swapped Plymouth Barracuda, was about 1,000 pounds lighter but powered by a 900-horsepower V8.
It certainly has its fans, including Lando Norris who went to the Grand Prix in a modded Plymouth Barracuda.
The drag race winner
After the Plymouth Barracuda ran a red light, the Tesla won the first race.
The Tesla Plaid had a time of 9.26 seconds at 150mph (241km/h).
Versus the Barracuda’s 9.32 seconds at 148mph (238km/h)
This set the stage for an exciting rematch that subscribers are already champing at the bit for.
However, this certainly isn’t the first time Tesla has proven its performance with a Tesla Model S Plaid pitted against a Lamborghini Revuelto in a drag race – and the results were bizarre
What’s more, a Tesla Cybertruck took on a Lamborghini Aventador in a Virginia drag race that had surprising results.

All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”