30 UNDER 30
“ I RACED BRAINERD AND HE ( JOHAN ) RACED IN GERMANY , AND WE WON ON THE SAME DAY JUST A COUPLE HOURS APART . THAT WAS REALLY COOL .”
30 UNDER 30
SWEDISH INVASION
Jonnie Lindberg is Top Alcohol Funny Car ’ s true world champion By Nate Van Wagnen
PHOTO : JOE McHUGH
‘ I guess
I ’ m just hard-headed ,” Jonnie Lindberg says as he tries to explain how he ’ s managed to take the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car class by storm since arriving on the scene in 2014 . In just three seasons , the 27-year-old Swedish driver has shattered the elapsed time world record , won six national events and two regional races , and claimed the two most recent national championships . As if that wasn ’ t enough , he ’ s also mixed in a few Pro Mod tuning gigs on both continents .
Lindberg came to the United States as the 2013 FIA Top Methanol Funny Car champion , dead-set on proving himself in fierce NHRA competition after recording some near-world record performances in Europe . He was only getting warmed up when he went to nine races and one final round in 2014 , then began his championship chase in 2015 after winning the season-opening Winternationals and Four-Wide Nationals , where he also became the first driver in class history to dip into the 5.3-second zone at over 270 mph . Running in conditions eerily similar to
“ I RACED BRAINERD AND HE ( JOHAN ) RACED IN GERMANY , AND WE WON ON THE SAME DAY JUST A COUPLE HOURS APART . THAT WAS REALLY COOL .”
the weather and track surfaces he was accustomed to in Europe , Lindberg drove his former Frank Manzo Monte Carlo to a 5.47 at 270.10 mph , then rotated the earth with a mind-numbing 5.361 at 272.01 mph .
“ I did so good back home in Europe – went 5.42 at 268 mph – so that was one of the reasons to come over here . I wanted to prove that I was that good . Last year we learned a lot . We struggled with the track conditions and started learning a lot . I did my homework during the winter and it seems to pay off ,” Lindberg posited at the time of the record performances . The speed record has since been reset as the Top Alcohol Funny Car speed numbers have been improving with their nitro counterparts , but the elapsed time mark has yet to be touched by another NHRA-legal alcohol flopper .
With the world records and a pair of Wallys in hand , Lindberg made a serious run at the 2015 NHRA Lucas Oil Series national championship , flying back and forth from Sweden to do battle with class frontrunners like John Lombardo Jr ., Annie Whiteley , and Doug Gordon . “ At one point I think I did five weekends in
November 2016 DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 73