Just four days after the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model 3 was wrecked in a crash during qualifying at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the vehicle was re-built and successfully completed Sunday’s race up the mountain.
Last Wednesday, racing driver and Pikes Peak veteran Randy Pobst crashed the Model 3 modified by Unplugged Performance specifically for the event. Pobst hit a bump at high speed around a right-hand bend and slammed into a stone wall. The electric vehicle was left with serious damage and it seemed impossible that it would run again, let alone be ready to compete on Sunday.
Read More: Two Tesla Model 3s Competing At Pikes Peak Crash During Practice
However, thanks to Unplugged Performance and a local Tesla-trained body shop, the crashed Model 3 was repaired with parts from another Model 3 that was brought in to save the day. The shop repaired the car’s bent frame and also repaired some of the carbon fiber parts that were damaged in the crash.
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Pobst was able to jump back behind the wheel of the car on Sunday and successfully completed a run up the famous hillclimb. Admittedly, not everything went to plan.
As a video shared online shows, the Tesla’s battery pack started to heat up just 1-minute after Pobst left the start line. The overheating battery pack forced the car into a limp mode and was no longer delivering full power. Pobst ultimately completed the hill climb in 11:04.131 and finished second in the exhibition class behind a near-stock Model 3 that was also competing and just 1.32 seconds faster.