The World's Best Factory Drag Car Is No Match For The Tesla Model S Plaid

Not even the mighty Dodge Challenger Demon 170 is quick enough to defeat Tesla's 1020-hp electric sedan in a drag race.

Dodge Challenger Demon 170 vs. Tesla Model S Plaid Drag Race

Photo by: YouTube

Brian Silvestro

By: Brian Silvestro

Jan 1, 2024 at 10:00am ET

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The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is undoubtedly the most capable factory street-legal drag car ever made. Built with quarter-mile times in mind, it comes with a supercharged V8 engine capable of 1025 hp, along with drag radial tires, specific drag-ready suspension, and even a transmission brake. But it's still no match for the Tesla Model S Plaid.

Brooks Weisblat from the DragTimes YouTube channel brought the two straight-line missiles together during a recent visit to Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida to see which would be quicker in a quarter-mile showdown.

In the first of three races, the Plaid is able to get a great start, launching away and leaving the Demon in the dust. The second race is a lot closer, with the Demon nailing an impressive launch. While the two cars are side-by-side for a few seconds, it's the Tesla that slowly walks away and takes the win. The third race is a bit of a bust, as the Demon driver fudges the start, allowing the Plaid to take an easy victory.

What do you think?

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As Weisblat points out, these cars are more closely matched than the results would suggest. In fact, it's possible the Demon could beat the Model S Plaid if it were to get a perfect launch. But in the real world, the Tesla is far easier to drive, meaning it's always going to lay down consistently quick quarter-mile times. The Dodge, on the other hand, needs a skilled driver and a perfect environment to extract the most performance.

If we had to choose one, we'd take the Dodge every time, despite the results.