Ida Zetterström Launches NHRA Rookie of the Year Campaign
European speed queen Ida Zetterström will officially launch her campaign for NHRA’s 2024 Rookie of the Year at this week’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota. The Swedish sensation is ready to take American drag racing by storm in her patriotic red, white, and blue JCM Racing VP Racing Fuels/Edelbrock/Comp Cams/Dodge Top Fuel Dragster.
With only eight races to make her mark, Zetterström knows she’s got to go full throttle from the start. Embracing her new home in the U.S., and with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the American political battle dominating the news cycle, Zetterström’s campaign is firing on all cylinders as she prepares to make her grand debut alongside her JCM Racing teammate Tony Schumacher. She’s on a mission to set off win lights and win over the hearts and minds of NHRA enthusiasts in hopes that a solid fanbase will work in her favor when it’s time for members of the media to cast their ballots for NHRA’s Rookie of the Year in November.
That’s why she’s hitting Brainerd International Raceway with a grassroots campaign replete with all of the requisite garb. Zetterström and her Jon Schaffer-led Top Fuel team will be giving away “Zetterström for 2024 Rookie of the Year” pins, stickers, and yard signs throughout the weekend. Merchandise celebrating the Zetterström/Schaffer ticket will be available at the NHRA Nitro Mall, and a campaign ad featuring the Indianapolis resident is set hit the social media airwaves this afternoon. On Saturday following the final qualifying session for the penultimate event of NHRA’s regular season, Zetterström will ‘hit the campaign trail’ with her JCM Racing teammates. They will caravan through Brainerd International Raceway’s iconic “Zoo” in order to help drum up support for the candidate who is up against a loaded field of hopefuls vying for NHRA’s coveted ‘Road to the Future’ honors. Zetterström is looking forward to shaking hands and taking selfies with some of drag racing’s most loyal fans while the NHRA on FOX cameras capture her multiple campaign stops throughout the massive campground.
With a resume that reads like a champion’s checklist—multiple titles in Europe across two wheels and four, victories in Super Street Bike and FIA Top Fuel, and a spot on Drag Illustrated’s 2022 “30 Under 30” list—Zetterström has the credentials to back up her campaign promises.
“Drag racing in America, on the NHRA tour, has been a dream of mine for so long, and it’s amazing to know that it’s actually coming true,” said Zetterström, who will compete in the eight remaining races on the 20-event 2024 schedule. “I’m proof that if you work really hard for something, you can make your American dream a reality. Winning Rookie of the Year would be an incredible achievement, and I’m ready to prove I have what it takes.
“We know we have to make up for lost time and make a big splash, so with this being my U.S. Top Fuel debut, we decided to really have some fun with it and launch with an election-themed campaign as a way to throw a little extra attention our way, and maybe that’ll help us come November when it’s time for the powers that be to decide on who will be named the 2024 Rookie of the Year. I’m a bit behind compared to my fellow candidates, many of whom have been on the track all season long, but putting the best team together and building an operation from scratch takes time and we wanted to be meticulous and not rush anything. My crew chief, Jon Schaffer, and I are excited to get out there and show what we’re made of. We’re going to have some fun with it, but make no mistake, our primary focus will be squarely on securing the points and performances needed to claim the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year award.”
Zetterström’s campaign roared to life with a fiery preview at the Roadkill Nights event over the weekend, where she unveiled her livery for the first time and gave American fans a taste of what’s to come behind the wheel of her 12,000-horsepower beast.
When she hits the track aboard her JCM/VP Racing Fuels/Edelbrock/Comp Cams/Dodge dragster this weekend, she will become the 64th woman to compete in the NHRA’s premier series.
Zetterström’s NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series debut will get underway with two qualifying passes on Friday, August 16 at 4:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. CT. She will then have two more qualifying opportunities on Saturday, August 17 at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., leading up to her historic professional start in NHRA Drag Racing when eliminations begin on Sunday, August 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Following her maiden NHRA journey, Zetterström will be available to media via a virtual press conference on Wednesday, August 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Those interested in participating in the hour-long media availability session should contact amccormick@theabmnetwork.com or jhatcher@theabmnetwork.com for additional details.
This story was originally published on August 12, 2024.
The post Ida Zetterström Launches NHRA Rookie of the Year Campaign first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
