NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

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[9:00 A.M.] Sunday Racing Delayed as Weather Models Show Rain Clearing; U.S. 131 Gates Will Open at 1 P.M.

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Jasmine Salinas and Ida Zetterström join the conversation at the Business of Women’s Sports Summit

From the starting line to the Summit: How drag racing continues to champion women in sports
06 May 2025
David Kennedy
News

The third annual Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment Business of Women’s Sports Summit, held at Chelsea Factory in New York City, brought together an elite group of athletes, executives, brand leaders, and media innovators focused on unlocking the next phase of commercial growth in women’s sports. Among the powerful voices shaping the future: NHRA Top Fuel drivers Jasmine Salinas and Ida Zetterström, who joined the summit as representatives of one of motorsports’ most historic and inclusive platforms.

Jasmine Salinas and Ida Zetterström join the conversation at the Business of Women’s Sports Summit

Drag racing has long been a business shaped by women—decades before it was considered viable in the broader sporting world. Barbara Parks, wife and partner to NHRA founder Wally Parks, played a pivotal role in the National Hot Rod Association’s formation and evolution. Barbara brought business acumen and cultural credibility to what was then a fledgling motorsports organization. Her legacy lives on today in drivers like Salinas and Zetterström, who are not only competing at the highest levels in all of motorsports, but also leading conversations about sponsorship, fan engagement, and equity.

The 2025 Summit focused on the "FUTURES" of women’s sports—how to sustain momentum, drive revenue, and expand reach. Speakers included Olympic legend Allyson Felix, journalist Sarah Spain, and entrepreneurs shaping brand ecosystems for women athletes. Key themes revolved around media visibility, corporate partnerships, and athlete-driven content—areas where NHRA continues to innovate through digital storytelling and grassroots engagement.

NHRA's Jeffrey Young joins the conversation at the Business of Women’s Sports Summit

Salinas and Zetterström were featured panelists in a session spotlighting athletes building platforms in emerging sports. Zetterström noted, "So much power, so much love for sports and so much support for women in the sports industry. I’m blown away by the positive vibes, inspiring panels and deep conversations and the insights of how this $2.3 billion dollar industry keeps growing and moving the needle in so many ways."

Salinas spent a whirlwind 48 hours in NYC and said she enjoyed hearing “from all the brands who have recognized the untapped value that female athletes bring," and added, “While one of our pride points of competing in @NHRA is that we don’t have separate leagues based on gender, being able to still connect with and relate to all the talented athletes in the room felt validating on so many levels.”

Hosted in partnership with Axios and Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment, the summit created a space for top-tier strategy and dialogue across sports, media, and marketing. With more than $2.3 billion in current market value, women’s sports are poised for unprecedented commercial expansion—an arena where NHRA’s women racers and legacy leaders are already full throttle

.Women of Power NHRA

As NHRA continues to celebrate its 75th anniversary, the legacy of women who shaped the sport—and those pushing it forward—has never been clearer.