“My list doesn’t say ‘Win a championship and retire.’ The plan is a lot longer than that.” With her actions being measured in tenths of seconds, Ida Zetterström’s ambition in motorsports is unbridled. The Swedish speedster is a force to be reckoned with in European and now American drag racing circles. But what led her to this high-octane world of racing? That is what Zetterström revealed recently in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.
From breaking gender stereotypes to dominating the 2023 European drag racing championship, Ida Zetterström’s journey has been jaw-dropping. But even as she covers new ground with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), time and again, she reflects on where her roots sprang from.
Ida Zetterström holds a diverse portfolio
Racers weave their way into the sport through various paths. These roads of ascension include dirt racing on regional tracks, sim racing that NASCAR stars like William Byron or Rajah Caruth dabbled in, or they simply work for their family racing teams. Overall, most motorsports veterans find their way into their passion early and eke out a living from it. For Ida Zetterström, the path was a little tricky. She started racing in Jr Dragsters at the age of 8. She made her way up by age 16 when she earned her Super Comp Dragster license. Zetterström started racing in Super Street Bike in 2017, but at the same time, she worked in other fields to make a living.
Ida Zetterström threw back the curtains on her off-racing pursuits in an interview with EssentiallySports. Flashing her ever-energetic and infectious smile, she enthusiastically dove into her professional life before a full-time racing career. “Basically, I’m an electrician. That’s what I got my education for, worked as an electrician for several years. Then started managing a store that sold electric and plumbing supplies, heating solutions, and battery innovations, and stuff like that. And worked in management for that same company.” Then her career started evolving from being an electrician to launching her own endeavor. Zetterström continued, “I was actually in the same company for 9 years or a little more before I started my own business, and actually worked in marketing.”
Eventually, that crucial shift in career brought her from Europe to the USA. Ida Zetterström reflected on living through COVID and constantly persevering. “I had my marketing business for three years before I moved over here. Worked with a lot of both race teams but also businesses building their brand, working with everything from social media to building websites. And during the COVID years, I had to take every job I can. I did everything from co-hosting the Morning Show…I’ve been a mechanic for the Spring Challenge race team for a year. Yeah, it’s all great experiences that I can take with me, that I feel like I can take with me, and everything I do.”
No wonder Ida Zetterström is the iron-willed racer she is, having led a tough professional life. After carving her way through a diverse career, currently, she currently takes pride in inspiring other women.
Being a guiding force for many
Well, the world of motorsport has always been dominated by men. From the street circuits of Europe to the oval racetracks of NASCAR, women seldom appear to take the wheel. But when they do, they make sure to leave a mark – like Ida Zetterström. She was the first woman to win Super Street Bike championships in 2019. What is more, in her 2023 drag racing championship, Zetterström broke the European record for the fastest time and lost in just a single elimination round. But she did confess that the focus on her gender came “to a point where it annoyed me.” She reasoned that she did not just want to be the fastest woman, but the fastest person out there.
However, Ida Zetterström realized that this label was not for herself, but for the many women who look up to her. She admitted last year in 2024, “When I started seeing other women come up to me and being like, ‘Hey, I’m trying to get into the class, too. I started to race bikes,’ [then] I was like, ‘OK, it wasn’t important for me, but it might have important for others.’”
Currently, Ida Zetterström is focused on her 2025 NHRA season. Being paired up with 12-year veteran and six-time NHRA winner Alexis Dejoria, she is pumped to be in an all-women team. She said in early March, “I think having the first ever all-female nitro team is going to be very cool to hit the track together…I feel like we both have very high energy going into the season, and I can’t wait to build on that.”
With a packed drag racing schedule ahead, Ida Zetterström’s career path is set. However, she never forgets her roots that forged the path that led her to a grand place in motorsports.
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