The searing sun beat down like a sledgehammer on the 3500-foot back straight at the Apex Motor Club, located just outside Phoenix. The two big guns from their previous confrontation arrived, one bearing the emblem of a cutting-edge new-era American hybrid supercar and the other a modified electric sedan built to handle a rough surface like this.
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X is essentially a monster, with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 1250 horsepower and an electric motor, indicating that it is a true beast. The all-wheel drive system and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission aim to retain as much power as possible on the ground. It weighs 4100 pounds and has a sticker price of almost $231,000.
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The Tesla Model S Plaid is no slouch, either, since it began life as a 2026 Model S but then had a highly insane “tune” to give it around 1200 horsepower from its three electric motors. To make it competitive, the owner worked hard to reduce 160 pounds, enhance the aerodynamics, and put some extremely grippy drag radials on the back axle.
Last time out, the ZR1X annihilated several factory Plaids at TX2K on a perfectly smooth drag strip, clocking quarter mile speeds as low as 8.7 seconds, but this time was going to be a very different ballgame. Why? There was a significant disparity due to the rough track and the high temperatures. So this time, there was a three-drag standing-start drag and roll competition to see who would win. To determine who was the fastest, they used timing devices and careful observation to gather as much data as possible.
The Tesla won the first heat, accelerating off the line and passing the ZR1X in 9.05 seconds at 158 mph. The Corvette rebounded in round two, courtesy to a faster start on the ZR1X hybrid, allowing it to pull ahead early. Despite this, the Plaid achieved a strong 9.25 at 155 mph, just enough to earn the ZR1X the victory. The Tesla then won the third and final standing-start drag race, recording 9.09 seconds at 158 mph. The ZR1X had wheelspin during a gear transfer, forcing it to lag the Tesla by a car length for the whole journey.
The roll race sealed the deal for Tesla. Starting from a moving start, the Plaid just drove away, the rapid torque from the electric motors giving it a significant advantage that the hybrid could not match. Commentators declared that the ZR1X was “totally cooked” after the final run. The Tesla won for a variety of reasons, including the fact that electric motors deliver maximum torque the moment you ask for it, removing the need for turbo lag or clutch slip. On an unprepared terrain like this, Tesla would always have an advantage. Add in the rear drag radials, which gave even more grip, and the Corvette’s Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires just couldn’t compete.
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