What an absolutely fun weekend for the team at Unplugged Performance. Last week, our crew hit the road for two incredible track days at Buttonwillow Raceway Park’s brand-new “Circuit Track.” We’re still buzzing from the adrenaline, the lap-time learnings, and the amazing car community that supported us throughout the way.
With that said, here’s how the trip went down.
Thursday, April 24 — The Unplugged Performance Team Ventures Out to Buttonwillow Raceway Park
The adventure kicked off Thursday morning at our Hawthorne, California HQ. Behind the wheel for this trip? None other than legendary driver Randy Pobst. He flew into LAX that morning, met us at HQ, and got fitted into our trophy-winning Model S Plaid, Dark Helmet. After the fitting and a quick tour of our expanded facilities, we caught Randy up on the updates made to Dark Helmet since he last raced it at Pikes Peak.
By 2 PM, the trailer was out and ready to haul Dark Helmet. But it gets better—this time, we hauled our beast Model S Plaid Dark Helmet with another beast: our Unplugged Performance INVINCIBLE® Cybertruck, equipped with heavy-duty UP INVINCIBLE® steel parts and powered by Tesla’s tri-motor, all-wheel-drive 845-horsepower Cyberbeast. Watching the Cyberbeast effortlessly handle tow duty brought us full circle—it’s wild to think how far we’ve come since our first time towing Dark Helmet.
Once our INVINCIBLE Cyberbeast locked onto the trailer, the team worked in unison to roll Dark Helmet safely into the trailer bed. Then we rounded up the rest of the caravan.
Joining the caravan were two 2024 Model 3 Performances: “Red Rocket,” an Ultra Red M3P upgrades with our Front Carbon Fiber Aero Kit, UP suspension, and UP-03 Forged Wheels on Yokohama A052 tires; and a Black Model 3 Performance with 19x9ET 25 and 19x10ET 30 Satin Titanium UP-05 Forged wheels with subtle upgrades like lowering springs and sway bars. Rounding out the crew: our support van stocked with tools, air jacks, nitrogen tanks—everything our mechanics needed to keep the cars track-ready. The final car? A first-gen Model 3 Performance that doubled as our camera car for the trip.
As we rolled out, our INVINCIBLE Cyberbeast effortlessly towed the 10,000-pound load through the steep Grapevine section of the I-5 freeway. Ninety-two miles in, we made our one and only charging stop at the Tejon Ranch Superchargers. After topping off to 95%, we hit the road again toward Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Our Tesla convoy turned heads the whole way—passersby snapped photos, and we captured epic rollers for social. By 6:30 PM, we arrived at Buttonwillow, parked Dark Helmet, and prepped for Friday’s showdown with SoCal Drivers Club.
Friday — Learning the Track and Pushing Limits
We were up early at 6 AM, powered by coffee and fast food. The morning was chilly, but the excitement in the air was electric. After setting up our 10×20 tent, we jacked up Dark Helmet, and fired up the tire warmers on our Yokohama A005 slicks—all powered by the Cybertruck’s onboard outlets (a seriously underrated feature of sticking with Tesla’s ecosystem).
While the tires warmed up, we mounted our Unplugged Performance INVINCIBLE Starlink mount on the Cybertruck, plugged in the Starlink Mini, and updated our followers on the day’s happenings.
The best part about Friday? Unlimited track time. Hosted by SoCal Drivers Club, the event catered to drivers hungry for as much seat time as they could handle. With an open-format track day, our team had the freedom to dial in our setups, take our time learning the track layout, test our upgrades, and chase lap times. We were ready and so was Randy.
First up, we wanted Randy to get a feel for the track, so he took our Black Model 3 Performance for a few laps. While he was out on track, we listened closely to his feedback on every corner and used it to fine-tune Red Rocket in preparation for what we anticipated would be a hot lap later in the day.
Then came our 2026 Model Y Juniper, fitted with UP x BBS Flugplatz (20×9 ET32) wheels and grippy Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 tires.
Randy pushed it to the absolute limit, even overtaking gas-powered cars—including a GT4. Our team was hyped. But all that fun behind the wheel cooked the stock brakes, driving home a key lesson: track day warriors need purpose built brake pads like our UP brake pads or better yet, our Big Brake Kit. The good news? We confirmed it fits the new Model Y platform and have a youtube video on this below:
Next came Red Rocket, our 2024 Model 3 Performance street/track build. After fully charging it to 100% at Buttonwillow’s on-site Tesla Supercharger (huge shout out to this racetrack for being so EV-friendly), we sent Randy out to get a few laps. As mentioned, Red Rocket runs UP-03 Forged wheels wrapped in 295/35/18 Yokohama A052s, UP Race Pro Coilovers utilizing our Adaptive Suspension Canceller Kit, Sway Bars, Billet Camber Arms, billet toe arms, Carbon-Ceramic Front big brake kit (BBK), Titanium Lug Nuts, and our Front Carbon Fiber Aero Kit. It is also noteworthy to state that Red Rocket’s powertrain continues to be completely unmodified, running the same 510hp as any other new 2024 Model 3 Performance.
Randy clocked a 1:51.79 lap time. Pretty great for a daily-driven family commuter car that was driven from Unplugged Performance HQ in Hawthorne, CA up to Buttonwillow, was tracked all weekend and drove back home without any concerns or incidents.
Watch The Full Hot Lap Video Below:
We weren’t done yet. Dark Helmet, our Model S Plaid, was yearning to hit the track next. Within minutes, Randy hopped off Red Rocket, got inside Dark Helmet, buckled up while our techs worked on getting the tire warmers off and got our race car in optimal peak shape for a hot lap. Moments later, the air jacks disengaged, Randy piloted the Model S out to the pit and let it fly. We clocked a 1:41.95 lap time. This is fast for another family EV sedan and we cannot wait to return to Buttonwillow to chase a sub-1:40.
Saturday — TeslaCorsa Brings the Community Together
Saturday was all about the 40th TeslaCorsa, an all day community track day event that welcomes Tesla owners of all skill levels to experience a day on the track. This time, we hosted it on the new “Circuit Track,” a first time for all drivers who have participated in past TeslaCorsa events.
The morning kicked off with light rain, but that didn’t slow anyone down. In fact, it became a teachable moment—drivers learned how to handle their Teslas in the wet conditions. Instructors, including Randy Pobst and many TeslaCorsa vets, offered guidance to newcomers who had never driven in rain or on track before. By midday, the skies cleared, the track dried up, and the confidence behind the wheel picked up.
TeslaCorsa runs based on driver level: Group A (Advanced) and Group B (Intermediate/Beginner), with each session running 15 minutes—enough time for 4–6 solid laps. The progression we saw in first-timers was wild. By the third or fourth session, nervous drivers had transformed into adrenaline junkies with eyes wide open filled with joy from the sport. We know this feeling and always strive to hit that chord when we host drivers.
At lunch, Randy hosted a debrief session, dropping pro tips and racing wisdom that had the crowd buzzing. Tesla Bakersfield came through, offering Cybertruck test drives and overnight Tesla test drives. The on-site Superchargers made it easy for drivers to recharge and jump right back on track, keeping the energy high and the conversations flowing.
Lessons Learned and What’s Next
We walked away with plenty of insights. Our Model Y’s brake fade confirmed the need for Unplugged Performance brake pads and big brake kits for serious track goers. Red Rocket (Ultra Red M3p) and Dark Helmet (Model S Plaid) both proved that we can continue to leverage our upgrades like UP suspension, UP Forged wheels, and Yokohama Tires to enhance Tesla performance. And TeslaCorsa? It showed once again that this experience is a lot of fun and educational—whether you’re in a base Model 3 or a Plaid S, the track is where confidence and community come alive.
Massive thanks to Randy Pobst for his legendary driving, Yokohama for delivering tire performance that speaks for itself, SoCal Drivers Club for the warm hospitality, Tesla Bakersfield for the test drive support, and our entire UP team for keeping the operation smooth and dialed. Most of all, thank you to every TeslaCorsa driver who showed up and showed out.
We’ll see you at the next TeslaCorsa—and you better believe we’re coming back to Buttonwillow to chase that sub-1:40 with Dark Helmet.
Full Gallery below: