Ida Zetterström Hopes to Make Another 'Statement' at Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals

• Ida Zetterström's first NHRA win over top qualifier Steve Torrence at Brainerd came via the holeshot variety.

• The round win gave her an uncontested quarterfinal round (14 cars qualified for the 16-car bracket eliminations, meaning winner of the Torrence match earned an uncontested run).

• She eventually red-lighted in a loss to Shawn Langdon in the semifinals.

Defending FIA European Top Fuel Drag Racing champion Ida Zetterström turned her back on a chance to defend her title in Europe and instead decided this year to cast her lot with JCM Racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

So far, so good.

This past Sunday, Zetterström knocked off four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and top qualifier Steve Torrence at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., on her way to a semifinal appearance in her NHRA debut. That debut was the culmination of months of preparation and biding her time to chase a years-long dream to race in the U.S.

"From the time I arrived first in Minneapolis and then eventually Brainerd and went to the track, it was non-stop," Zetterström said. "I actually found myself sitting in the waterbox for the first run and (crew chief) Jon Schaffer started up the car, and in my mind, I went, 'Well, it's too late to get nervous now, so let's just do it,' "

And for the 30-year-old racer from Sweden, eventually getting that first win light in the first round of her first NHRA event made all the preparation worth it.

"It feels like such a huge relief, because I know that I've heard leading up to this that there's been a lot of hype around our team and my debut," she said. "What I wanted to do to live up to that hype was to show that we are a force to be reckoned with and that we have built something that can come out here and compete with the full-time cars that are on the schedule.

"We are not just here to participate. This year is basically to get everything together so we can actively chase a championship next year."

Zetterström's win over top qualifier Torrence came via the holeshot variety, meaning she had the quicker reaction time that more than made up for a slower elapsed time.

"As a driver, a holeshot win is always something that feels a little extra sweet, because it shows that as a driver you did your job," she said. "I'm still honestly trying to perfect my reaction time, as this is a new car and every time you get into a new car, it takes a little time before you are completely one with it."

The round win gave her an uncontested quarterfinal round (14 cars qualified for the 16-car bracket eliminations, meaning there would be a bye in the quarters to the winner of the Torrence match) before she eventually red-lighted in a loss to Shawn Langdon in the semifinals.

"A lot of what I've done here, I've done it before," said Zetterström, who added that the red light run was a first for her in her career. "It's just on a different stage right now. Obviously, NHRA is the is the best, the biggest stage in drag racing and the best drivers you can line up against.

"But for me, lining up against Steve Torrence or lining up against a European champion doesn't change my mindset going into it. My mindset is to always do my best as a driver. I tell myself that if I do my routines as I always do my routines, and I do what I know I do best—hopefully that's enough."

Zetterström said that the win over Torrence from the No. 14 qualifying spot, while it wasn't for an event title, will still go down as a career highlight.

"I say it ranks really high because, of course, Steve is a champion and he was the No. 1 qualifier," she said. "I know we were the underdog coming into this, but it doesn't rank as high as winning a championship or setting records (in Europe) that I've done before. But for me, it felt like it was making a statement and a good start in the sport."

Next up for Zetterström and the NHRA is the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Aug. 28-Sept. 2.

"We know coming into Indy, we're going to have to up it a little more," she said. "It's even more contestants out there and we're probably going to have 20-plus drivers competing for a 16 ladder. So, that does make the stakes even higher, but I know we can do it."