Lifestyle
Tesla Racing Series: Types of Racing
There are many different types of racing, and while it’s impractical to cover all of them, we’ll cover a few that we tried in our 48 Tesla Model S.
Autocross
Due to its heavy weight, the Model S does not perform very well in autocross events. To clarify, since the term “Autocross” can refer to several different types of setups, here we refer to a course laid out by cones on an asphalt surface, most often done on speedway infields or large stadium parking lots. Typical speeds on this type of layout are approximately 30 mph with occasional bursts of up to 60mph.
Autocross can also refer to country road racing – a type of racing that should never be done in the Model S in order to avoid damage to the battery pack that’s mounted beneath the vehicle. While a 1/4″ thick aluminum plate protects the battery, driving on rough surfaces increases the probability of hazardous debris or other large foreign objects to strike and damage the battery.
Autocross courses are usually 1/2 to 3/4 miles in length and comprised of 30+ turns. Mainly light and small cars such as the Mazda Miata tend to dominate these type of events. Bigger and heavier cars like the Tesla Model S have much more body momentum making it more difficult to control and less nimble (the Tesla roadster would probably do a lot better here).
We think Autocross events are great when it comes to getting your feet wet in racing. There are a variety of setups that one can practice on, such as off-camber turns, turns with elevation changes, slaloms, etc. It’s also the safest possible setup, as even the worst mistake would only lead to hitting a cone. One also has the freedom to experiment with new techniques on an autocross that may not be considered safe on other types of tracks.
Open Track Racing
Open track racing, also called track days or simply tracking, is by far the most fun and entertaining type of racing. This type of racing allows you to race alongside other cars on racetracks of varying sizes and complexities. Courses can range from lower speed technical road courses to as large as full stadium ovals where NASCAR races are held.
It’s important to note that this type of open track racing should not be confused with wheel-to-wheel competition racing, where the driver needs to be licensed, the car has to be race prepared, and the objective is to win by any means necessary – even if it means wrecking the vehicle. The objective of open track racing is to have fun, be competitive but courteous, and more importantly walk away with your car undamaged.
The Tesla Model S does well on these tracks given its sports car like handling, excellent stability controls, and snappy acceleration. One of the most exhilarating aspects of open track racing is being able to drive and pass other contenders at speeds well over 100 mph, and in a environment that’s generally safer than competition wheel-to-wheel racing.
At the same time, the tracks have a reasonable number of turns where you can practice your driving skills, such as following racing lines, braking zones, track outs, on and off camber turns, etc. While its fairly straightforward on paper, doing it in real life is a lot more difficult. It’s a very rewarding experience when you master a segment and can repeat it time after time. While open track racing is not a competition for track position, you are in fact competing with other cars for the best overall lap time.
Everyone we’ve ever interacted with at these events were friendly, helpful, and professional. And while you don’t receive a prize for crossing the line first, as you do in competition racing, the real reward is being able to meet a group of passionate people that all have the common goal of just plain ol’ having fun!
And this is where the primary focus of TESLARATI 48 Tesla is. At the time of writing, we completed 4 track events, Willow Springs (The Big Willow), the Streets of Willow, the California Speedway (Fontana Auto Club Speedway), and Buttonwillow.
After starting in the Novice group at the first track, we were promoted to the Intermediate group at the second event based on fast lap times. The 48 Tesla completed fastest lap times in the Intermediate groups around the middle of the pack in all subsequent events. Working on our skills while in this group will also give us time to seek alternatives to improve cooling of the Tesla drivetrain components that can cause power limitations. We’re also really looking forward to these new tracks coming up in the first half of the year: Chuckwalla, Spring Mountain, Sonoma, Thunderhill, and Laguna Seca.
We’ll be publishing our full event schedule as it becomes available so stay tuned!
Also see: The “48″ Tesla Model S takes on Buttonwillow Raceway [Video]
[learn_more caption=”Disclaimer”] The information contained in the “48” Tesla Racing Series is for general information purposes only and is not meant to serve as an endorsement for track, competition or activities around racing. Our endeavor is to simply showcase the amazing performance capabilities of the battery powered Tesla Model S sedan.[/learn_more]
Elon Musk
The FCC just said ‘No’ to SpaceX for now
SpaceX is fighting the FCC for spectrum that could put satellites inside every smartphone.
SpaceX was dealt a new setback on April 23, 2006 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after the U.S. government agency dismissed the company’s petition to access a Mobile Satellite Service spectrum that would allow direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities.
The FCC regulates communications by radio, television, wire, and cable, which also includes regulating D2D technology that lets your existing smartphone connect directly to a satellite orbiting Earth, the same way it would connect to a cell tower.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been building toward this through its Starlink Mobile service, formerly called Direct-to-Cell, in partnership with T-Mobile. The service officially launched on July 23, 2025, starting with messaging and expanding to broadband data in October of that year.
T-Mobile Starlink Pricing Announced – Early Adopters Get Exclusive Discount
It’s worth noting that SpaceX is not alone in this race. AT&T and Verizon have their own satellite texting deals with AST SpaceMobile, while Verizon separately offers free satellite texting through Skylo on newer phones.
The regulatory foundation for all of this dates to March 14, 2024, when the FCC adopted the world’s first framework for what it called Supplemental Coverage from Space, allowing satellite operators to lease spectrum from terrestrial carriers and fill gaps in their coverage. On November 26, 2024, the FCC granted SpaceX the first-ever authorization under that framework, approving its partnership with T-Mobile to provide service in specific frequency bands. SpaceX then went further, completing a roughly $17 billion acquisition of wireless spectrum from EchoStar, which gave it the ability to negotiate with global carriers more independently.
Starlink’s EchoStar spectrum deal could bring 5G coverage anywhere
This recent ruling by the FCC blocked SpaceX from going further, protecting incumbent spectrum holders like Globalstar and Iridium. But the market momentum is already in motion. As Teslarati reported, SpaceX is targeting peak speeds of 150 Mbps per user for its next generation Direct-to-Cell service, compared to roughly 4 Mbps today, which would bring satellite connectivity close to standard carrier performance.
With a reported IPO targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation on the horizon, each spectrum fight, carrier deal, and regulatory win or loss now carries weight beyond just connectivity. SpaceX is quietly becoming the infrastructure layer underneath the phones of millions of people, and the FCC’s next move will help determine how much further that reach extends.
FCC Satellite Rule Makings can be found here.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk talks Tesla Roadster’s future
Elon Musk confirmed the Roadster as Tesla’s last manually driven car, with a debut coming soon.
During Tesla’s Q1 2026 earnings call on April 22, Elon Musk made a brief but notable comment about the long-awaited next generation Roadster while describing Tesla’s future vehicle lineup. “Long term, the only manually driven car will be the new Tesla Roadster,” he said. “Speaking of which, we may be able to debut that in a month or so. It requires a lot of testing and validation before we can actually have a demo and not have something go wrong with the demo.”
That single statement is the entire Roadster update from yesterday’s call, and while it represents another timeline shift, it comes as no surprise with Tesla heads-down-at-work on the mass rollout of its Robotaxi service across US cities, and the industrial scale production of the humanoid Optimus.
The fact that Musk specifically framed the Roadster as the last manually driven Tesla is significant on its own. As the rest of the lineup moves toward full autonomy, the Roadster becomes something rare in the Tesla-sphere by keeping the driver in control. Driving enthusiasts who buy a $200,000 supercar are not doing so to be passengers. They want the physical connection to the road, the feel of acceleration under their own input, and the experience of controlling something with that level of performance. FSD, however capable it becomes, removes that entirely. The Roadster signals that Tesla understands this distinction and is building a car specifically for the people who consider driving itself the point.
Tesla isn’t joking about building Optimus at an industrial scale: Here we go
The specs for the Roadster Musk has teased over the years are genuinely unlike anything in production. The base model targets 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, a top speed above 250 mph, and up to 620 miles of range from a 200 kWh battery. The optional SpaceX package takes it further, rumored to add roughly ten cold gas thrusters operating at 10,000 psi, borrowed directly from Falcon 9 rocket technology. With thrusters, Musk has claimed 0 to 60 mph in as little as 1.1 seconds. In a 2021 Joe Rogan interview he went further, stating “I want it to hover. We got to figure out how to make it hover without killing people.” Tesla filed a patent for ground effect technology in August 2025, suggesting the hover concept has not been abandoned. The starting price remains $200,000, with the Founders Series requiring a $250,000 full deposit. Some reservation holders placed those deposits in 2017 and are approaching a full decade of waiting.
With production now targeted for 2027 or 2028 at the earliest, the Roadster remains Tesla’s most audacious promise and its longest-running delay. But if what Musk is testing lives up to even half of what he has described, the demo alone should be worth waiting for.
Elon Musk says the Tesla Roadster unveiling could be done “maybe in a month or so.”
He said it should be an extraordinary unveiling event. pic.twitter.com/6V9P7zmvEm
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 22, 2026
Elon Musk
Tesla isn’t joking about building Optimus at an industrial scale: Here we go
Tesla’s Optimus factory in Texas targets 10 million robots yearly, with 5.2 million square feet under construction.
Tesla’s Q1 2026 Update Letter, released today, confirms that first generation Optimus production lines are now well underway at its Fremont, California factory, with a pilot line targeting one million robots per year to start. Of bigger note is a shared aerial image of a large piece of land adjacent to Gigafactory Texas, that Tesla has prominently labeled “Optimus factory site preparation.”
Permit documents show Tesla is seeking to add over 5.2 million square feet of new building space to the Giga Texas North Campus by the end of 2026, at an estimated construction investment of $5 billion to $10 billion. The longer term production target for that facility is 10 million Optimus units per year. Giga Texas already sits on 2,500 acres with over 10 million square feet of existing factory floor, and the North Campus expansion is being built to support multiple projects, including the dedicated Optimus factory, the Terafab chip fabrication facility (a joint Tesla/SpaceX/xAI venture), a Cybercab test track, road infrastructure, and supporting facilities.
Credit: TESLA
Texas makes strategic sense beyond the existing infrastructure. The state’s tax structure, lower labor costs relative to California, and the proximity to Tesla’s AI training cluster Cortex 1 and 2, both located at Giga Texas and now totaling over 230,000 H100 equivalent GPUs, means the Optimus software stack and the factory producing the hardware will share the same campus. Tesla’s Q1 report also confirmed completion of the AI5 chip tape out in April, the inference processor designed specifically to power Optimus units in the field.
As Teslarati reported, the Texas facility is intended to house Optimus V4 production at full scale. Musk told the World Economic Forum in January that Tesla plans to sell Optimus to the public by end of 2027 at a price between $20,000 and $30,000, stating, “I think everyone on earth is going to have one and want one.” He has previously pegged long term demand for general purpose humanoid robots at over 20 billion units globally, citing both consumer and industrial use cases.
Tesla expands Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated
UPDATE: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy that launched a Tesla into space is back on a mission
