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By now, most NHRA fans are aware of the great lengths that 2023 FIA European Top Fuel champion Ida Zetterström went to in order to pursue her dream of racing professionally in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Zetterström’s move from her native Sweden to the U.S. has been well-documented along with her 2024 NHRA debut that included the final eight events of the season with the JCM Racing team and a much-deserved NHRA Rookie of the Year nomination. 

What might be news to fans is the equally great effort that Zetterström continues to pour into her ultimate goal of building a successful career and eventually contending for a Top Fuel title. When she moved to the U.S., Zetterström’s eyes were wide open. She knew it would take a lot of effort to succeed, but she remains committed to becoming the best driver that she can be. She also works daily to find the funding to race in all 20 NHRA events, something that is currently a work in progress.

“Trying to find sponsorship is the biggest part of what I’m doing right now. There is so much going on behind the scenes and so much that goes with [being a professional racer],” said Zetterström. “From start to finish, bringing in a new sponsor can be a long process. It’s a lot of phone calls and meetings, and hard work. I’m currently involved with some great brands like Dodge and VP [Racing Fuels], but I’m also working to bring in new partners and expose NHRA to new people and show them why this sport is worth investing in. Sometimes that takes a bit longer because there is no blueprint. Each company is different.

“One thing that’s big is the connection between Europe and the U.S.,” she said. “It blows me away to see the number of Europeans who have come over to attend NHRA races. I’m working to try and integrate that into our program.”

Zetterström competed in the first three events of the 2025 season, but her current schedule calls for 10 races, with the hopes of adding more. She missed the recent NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, although she will still maintain a high profile as she’s going to the NASCAR event in Bristol in order to promote the upcoming NHRA event at Bristol Dragway.

“I’ve never been to a NASCAR race, so I’m very much looking forward to it,” Zetterström said. “I’m going to be spending time with the media and hopefully meeting a lot of new people. I think there is a lot that can be gained from these experiences.”

Zetterström has also made past appearances at the King of Hammers off-road event, the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, and last year, she made five trips to Europe for a variety of promotional appearances. 

“I went to a World Superbike event in Italy where Dodge had the pace car and did a lot of other cool stuff. I’ve also got an upcoming trip to New York for a Women in Sports panel, which I believe will be live on CNBC. That’s particularly exciting.”

NHRA fans will also get to know Zetterström a bit better when she joins the announcing team at select events beginning in Chicago. 

“I think what NHRA is doing this year with the announcers is really good for the sport and interesting for the viewer, and I’m excited to be a part of it,” said Zetterström. “I’ll be in the booth and the top end and the starting line, and there is a lot that I can learn from this experience.”

The importance of modern social media isn’t lost on Zetterström, who maintains a high profile on popular platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X. Zetterström’s Instagram account (@dragsterfia) currently has 210,000 followers, making her one of NHRA’s most viewed drivers. 

“I take a lot of pride in my social media. It was built from scratch over many years,” Zetterström said. “I still do my own personal social media, but JCM hired Alyse [Gillentine], and she is great when it comes to catering to our sponsor’s needs. We can already see the numbers have spiked, and that’s all part of putting together a successful program.”