Unplugged Performance’s heavily modified Tesla Model S-APEX Plaid claimed the overall fastest time at the Willow Springs Reimagined Time Attack, beating a field of exotic machinery.
Unplugged Performance’s “Dark Helmet” is back on top. Driven by Craig Coker, the modified 2021 Tesla Model S-APEX Plaid won the Unlimited Class at the Petersen Museum’s Willow Springs Reimagined Time Attack on October 17, posting a 52.125-second run from Turn 1 through Turn 5 at Big Willow. The electric sedan also recorded the fastest time of the day across all classes.
The competition included some serious performance hardware, with the entry list featuring the McLaren Senna, Porsche 918 Spyder, Aston Martin Valhalla, Gordon Murray T.50, McLaren 765LT, and McLaren Artura. Despite facing some of the world’s most celebrated supercars and hypercars, Dark Helmet emerged victorious.
“I trust the car to perform consistently. It’s a well-developed and proven race-winning package at this point,” Coker said, explaining that he felt immediately connected to the car despite not having driven it for a year.
Factory Tesla power, track-focused engineering
Dark Helmet’s approach is different from that of many heavily modified race cars. The Model S Plaid retains its factory battery, tri-motor powertrain, and cooling system, relying on Tesla’s standard Track Mode rather than aftermarket powertrain software tuning.
Instead, Unplugged Performance has concentrated on maximizing the platform’s handling, grip, braking, and aerodynamic performance.
For its latest outing, the car ran UP-03 lightweight forged wheels wrapped in racing slicks, with 330-millimeter tires at all four corners. The suspension setup includes UP x Öhlins TTX four-way adjustable coilovers, billet adjustable front upper control arms, upgraded rear suspension arms, and a three-way adjustable rear sway bar.
Stopping power comes from Unplugged Performance’s carbon-ceramic brake package at both axles, paired with competition brake pads and upgraded brake lines.
The exterior features the UP S-APEX carbon-fiber widebody, complemented by a high-downforce aerodynamic package with a prominent front splitter, rear wing, and lower diffusers. Many of the car’s suspension, braking, and wheel upgrades are available through Unplugged Performance.
A familiar victory at Willow Springs
The latest win adds another achievement to Dark Helmet’s growing track record. In 2023, Coker recorded a 1:20.03 lap of Big Willow in the car, which Unplugged Performance reported as a new EV lap record at the time. Dark Helmet later posted a 1:11.14 at the separate Streets of Willow circuit during Gridlife.
For Coker, the return to competition delivered another opportunity to demonstrate what a properly developed electric performance car can do.
“As the only electric vehicle of the event, I’m sure we surprised a lot of people,” he said. “It was a proud moment, and I loved sharing that with the UP team.”
With its factory tri-motor powertrain and extensive chassis upgrades, Dark Helmet continues to make a compelling case for electric performance on the track, even when the competition includes some of the most capable combustion-powered machines in the world.
