NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

 NHRA Rookie of the Year candidate Ida Zetterström continues to ramp up support for a late summer debut in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with the addition of Edelbrock Performance and VP Racing Fuels, to her growing list of partners.

Zetterström, a three-time series champion on the European drag racing circuit, announced last week that VP Racing Fuels would be backing her new U.S. venture. In addition, her ongoing partnership with Edelbrock Performance will continue into 2024 as she prepares to join the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing tour as a member of JCM Racing.

“It is such an honor for me to be able to announce that I am partnering with Edelbrock this year as I join the NHRA circuit for the first time,” said Zetterström, who is set to embark on her NHRA career fresh off of capturing the 2023 FIA Top Fuel championship in Europe. “Having grown up a bit of a gearhead, Edelbrock is one of those brands that just feels so familiar to me. I loved spending time helping my dad in his auto repair shop as a kid, and I remember always seeing Edelbrock boxes everywhere. This feels like a full circle moment.”

Zetterström’s relationship with Edelbrock Performance began with a conversation at the 2021 Performance Racing Industry [PRI] show, which led to Edelbrock becoming an associate partner on Zetterström’s Top Fuel operation in 2022. Edelbrock then grew into a primary sponsor role in 2023 when the Swedish speedster captured her first FIA Top Fuel championship title.
 
“Having used so many Edelbrock products in various builds over the years led me to strike up a conversation with the Edelbrock folks at PRI a few years ago. In fact, at that time, we were in the process of building an LS engine for our ’68 Camaro using Edelbrock parts, so that was kind of the ice breaker moment, and the partnership has just grown from there. I’m really proud of our relationship and all that we’ve been able to accomplish together both on and off the track. One of our goals last year was to strengthen their relationship with a large European automotive dealership, and that was something that we were able to work together on. I’m glad to have the opportunity to continue to represent them here on this side of the pond.
 
“Edelbrock has been such a huge part of my success in Europe,” Zetterström added. “It’s one of those brand names that is so embedded into drag racing, and I’m truly honored to have that association as I make my NHRA debut with JCM Racing.”

Zetterström will also have the support of VP Racing, one of the motorsports industry’s most recognizable brands of race gas, additives, and lubricants, in her corner.

Prior to relocating to Brownsburg, Ind., from the Åland Islands of Finland last month, Zetterström enjoyed tremendous success competing on the FIA and FIM series circuits in Europe. In addition to her 2023 Top Fuel title, Zetterström is also a two-time champion in the Super Street Bike category. She won her first Super Street Bike crown in 2019, becoming the youngest competitor and first female in the category to do so. Her accomplishments caught the attention of VP Racing, prompting the market leader in high-performance racing fuels to present her with the organization’s ‘Special Award,’ which recognizes a racer who had an exceptionally standout season. With the rising young upstart on their radar, it was simply a matter of time before Zetterström and VP would come together to partner in an official capacity.
 
“I’m so excited to now officially be working with VP Racing as I begin my NHRA journey,” said Zetterström, who is slated to compete in a minimum of six NHRA Mission Foods Series events in 2024 before running a full-season campaign alongside her JCM Racing teammate Tony Schumacher in 2025. “I’ve had a relationship with VP since 2019 and we’ve worked together on various projects while I was racing in Europe, so it’s incredibly gratifying that it has developed into now hitting the track this year with an official partnership in place.”