OK, I’m kidding. I think the wing on this Tesla Model S Plaid by Unplugged Performance is more than big enough! It’s actually way too big for the street, but it’s perfect for its intended purpose: the Pike’s Peak Hillclimb.
The car, nicknamed Dark Helmet after the charter from the movie Spaceballs, is an extensively modified Tesla Model S Plaid with a unique and custom-engineered aero package, and fitted with numerous Unplugged Performance modifications.
If you want to build your own Dark Helmet, Unplugged Performance is happy to build one for you. The EV should have easily beat their 2021 Pikes Peak time but a thick fog blinded the driver and ruined the run.
Watch as Randy Pobst has a great run spoiled by a fogged windshield. He tries dropping the windows but it doesn’t help! He loosens his harness and tries wiping the windshield with his hand while racing but doesn’t help! The defroster was on the whole race but it didn’t help! Instead of finishing 6th out of all 72 entries (he was on pace for a 6th place finish) to being blinded, we finished 19 out of 72.
Until the windshield blinded Randy, it was shaping up to be an awesomely close race between the 4900lb stock power/cooling Tesla Model S Plaid and Pikes Peak veteran Zwart’s incredible million-dollar Porsche 935 factory race car.
Sector 1+2 Combined times:
- 4:22.73 – UP Tesla Model S Plaid Pobst
- 4:22.75 – 992 Turbo S Light Weight Donner
- 4:23.41 – Porsche 935 Race Car Zwart
It was a frustrating but promising end to Pikes Peak week. Unplugged Performance is happy with how the car performed as they dialed in the suspension for the challenging track all week. It was ready for a win on race day. In the end, the mountain decided this year wasn’t their year. Better luck next year!
