It's just a matter of time until she claims an NHRA championship. The remarks from JCM Racing team owner Joe Maynard reflect his unwavering faith in Ida Zetterström. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, this drag racing prodigy boasts an impressive list of accomplishments which includes several championships under her belt. Notably, she holds the title of three-time series champion within Europe’s top-tier competition—the FIA Top Fuel. Additionally, she has claimed victory twice as a champion in the Super Street Bike division. However, Ida currently harbors different aspirations for herself.
Straight after securing the 2023 Top Fuel championship, Ida Zetterström moved from the Åland Islands in Finland to Brownsburg, Indianapolis at the start of 2024. With aspirations to reach unparalleled levels within the NHRA circuit, she faces fresh obstacles as she takes on this new role.
Ida Zetterström unveils her genuine concerns.
Despite being an accomplished multiple-time motorsports champion who tackles track challenges effortlessly, Ida Zetterström faces hurdles when it comes to finances. Having geared up for her first appearance in the NHRA back in 2024, she secured partnerships such as those with Edelbrock and VP Racing Fuels. Her relationship with Edelbrock Performance had been ongoing since 2021, making this collaboration more established compared to her association with VP Racing Fuels which was relatively fresh at that time. In 2024, Ida participated in six races of the NHRA Mission Foods Series and aimed to compete fully under JCM Racing’s banner throughout 2025. Nonetheless, come late last year, assembling sufficient sponsorship backing proved challenging for her ambitious plans for a complete season.
At present, Ida Zetterström has been slated for a partial season comprising 10 races. This challenging situation understandably puts stress on the Swedish driver, who must secure additional funding to extend her racing calendar beyond those initial engagements. As Ida mentioned, this is quite problematic. In a recent conversation with Speed Freaks, : That is the challenging aspect at present because clearly, being an individual who truly desires to compete throughout the entire season , securing the funding for it, and concentrating on completing that schedule. Particularly, ensuring enough funds to compete in full seasons for many years ahead—not only this year is concerning me. This occupies much of my thoughts, and consumes a significant part of my daily activities."
Behind her thoughts, Ida Zetterström continues to grapple with insufficient funds. She admitted that this impacts how she tackles racing competitions. If you were aware that an entire season lay before you, your mental state might differ since you'd concentrate on aiming for the championship. Thus, Ida’s message was unmistakable. “ I'm concentrating on pursuing money rather than solely aiming for titles. , you know.”
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Given the expectations her team owner has for her, Ida Zetterström She remains dedicated to her role despite the difficulties presented by transitioning from open-canopy vehicles in Europe to closed-canopy cars used in NHRA competitions. Her primary focus now is delivering her utmost performance for every sponsor supporting her journey. But I'm striving to strike a balance between putting in intense effort on that front and concentrating on the races I'll attend, ensuring that I can truly excel as the top driver, an outstanding team member, and the finest ambassador for all of my sponsors. Therefore, I don't want racing to consume every ounce of mental energy when I step onto the track. she added .
Ida Zetterström’s worries might also encompass the NHRA racing circuit. She is endeavoring to adjust to the distinct Top Fuel vehicles and enhance her outstanding performance in the 2024 season.
An unwavering desire for enhancement
Ida Zetterström strongly pursues sponsorships mainly due to her deep-seated enthusiasm. Her ardor for racing shines through her track record. By breaking gender barriers, Ida made history as the inaugural female champion of the Super Street Bike competition in 2019. Consequently, she was eager to get back into driving. NHRA In 2024, Ida admitted feeling somewhat restless due to having to wait half a year before assembling her racing crew and vehicle. Eventually, she took part in her inaugural competition in August at the Brainerd International Raceway located in Minnesota. There, she delivered an impressive performance by defeating four-time champion Steve Torrance during their initial match-up. Throughout the last eight events of the season, Ida showcased strong form with her highest qualification position being eighth place at the Texas Fall Nationals. Additionally, for her remarkable rookie efforts, she received recognition from NHRA’s National Dragster magazine, earning the title of 'Best New Talent' at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) event.
Collaborating with her crew chief, Jon Schaffer, Ida Zetterström managed to secure a spot in the semifinals in 2024. However, Ida believes she still has much room for improvement as she strives to enhance her performance metrics. I sense that we missed an opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities fully. Other teams had a significant advantage with a 12-race lead over us since they began much earlier in the year. By the time we launched operations in August, these competitors had spent months ironing out their issues. Additionally, some of them have been collaborating for years, unlike our new team which essentially started afresh. Just as things seemed to be clicking for us, the season concluded abruptly. Therefore, we're eager to return and showcase our true potential.
Clearly, many challenges lie ahead for the Swedish racing sensation. As Ida Zetterström embarks on her NHRA adventure, we send our best wishes!
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