How does it feel not being able to participate in drag racing at a dragstrip — not because your car is too slow — but because, your car is way too fast. This recently happened with a Tesla Model S Plaid owner Parker Nirenstein who runs the YouTube channel Vehicle Virgins.
His Tesla Model S Plaid was kicked out of the drag racing competition for being “too fast”. With a 0-60 mph time of around 2 seconds, Model S Plaid is the world’s quickest mass-production car to date.
Keeping the figures from previous drag race challenges, Model S Plaid consistently runs the quarter-mile in the range of 9.3 – 9.5 seconds, even if the battery is drained down to a 20% state of charge (SoC).
A parachute installation is required by some dragstrips for cars that perform a quarter mile under 10 seconds at 150 mph trap speed — as simple braking wouldn’t be enough to stop the car alone. However, by mid-2022, Tesla is introducing the Model S Plaid Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit for a price of $20,000 (yes, twenty thousand US Dollars).
Tesla has posted the following details of the Model S Plaid Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit on its online store website:
Designed for the ultimate track experience, the Model S Plaid Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit is a complete hardware package that delivers maximum, repeatable stopping power during high-performance driving.
Our rotors feature continuous-fiber technology and are constructed in a unique 3D matrix to add strength and manage heat more effectively. For additional durability, a ceramic friction layer covers the entire rotor surface to reduce brake dust, corrosion, and wear, while also improving the pedal feel for daily driving.
The kit includes all-new carbon-silicon carbide rotors, one-piece forged calipers with high-performance pads, and high-temperature brake fluid.
Includes:
– 2x 410 x 40mm carbon-silicon carbide front rotors
– 2x 410 x 32mm carbon-silicon carbide rear rotors
– 2x 6-piston one-piece, forged front calipers
– 2x 4-piston one-piece, forged rear calipers
– 2x integrated, caliper-mounted parking brakes
– 4x high-performance front brake pads
– 4x high-performance rear brake pads
– 1x bottle of high-temperature brake fluid
Note: This package is only compatible with Model S Plaid vehicles equipped with 21” Arachnid wheels. Purchase price includes installation via Tesla Service.
Tesla online shop
The Sonoma Raceway dragstrip in this case had additional rules for cars doing 1/4 mile runs under 9.99 seconds, “Drivers of vehicles running 9.99 or quicker or 135 mph must have a valid NHRA competition license, and the vehicle must conform to the general regulations of the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association),” the rule slip stated. A fire suit and helmet were also required for cars as fast as the Plaid.
First, the Model S Plaid family sedan had to go through an initial 1/8 mile run against the beautiful Ferrari F8 Tributo. In addition to beating the Ferrari, the Plaid completed the 1/8 mile in just 6.135 seconds. This speed resulted in the first warning by the dragstrip management, the 2nd warning would be the last and final for the Tesla Model S Plaid to be disqualified.
The official admitted that the NHRA rules have not caught up with new production cars yet. So, the next time, Model S Plaid will also have to have a roll cage installed as well if it wants to compete against other cars at this dragstrip, possibly others as well who come under the umbrella of the NHRA.
It’s time for the track racing world to realize that newly produced electric cars, especially Teslas are way ahead in performance compared to the internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, and it’s time to rewrite the rules.
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6 replies on “Tesla Model S Plaid gets kicked out of the dragstrip for being “too fast””
It’s not time for NHRA rules to catch up, electric or ice speed Is speed and you need to follow safety rules if you go fast, maybe the Tesla should come with a roll cage and chute from factory!
It’s not just a parachute that is needed and upgraded breaks are not going to change the parachute requirement.
Its a safety thing you need a rollcage and other safety stuff everyone needs to follow the rules. Like the motorcycles that go faster than 10 need to have a tether on it. It’s not they’re hating on them for being fast. It’s not all about being fast also it’s how you drive it that counts like your reaction times.
It’s because he didn’t have to do anything. There’s no competition or skill in showing up with a car that fast. People spend years working on their vehicles to bring them to the strip and go up against people who have also put time into their vehicles.
It’s amazing we can purchase vehicles that can do a 0-60 in 2s.. but there’s no point in bringing them to a drag strip. We KNOW they’re faster.
How about a DFI 2 stroke BB v8 and not a 4 joke stroke which everything automotive is stuck on unless you convert one to a poppet valved u-loop charged 2 stroke.
4 joke stroke is 1 stroke to power it and 3 strokes to wear it out!