PHOTOS : NATE VAN WAGNEN , LINDBERG BROS . MOTORSPORTS |
TEAM EFFORT
While Jonnie Lindberg is the driver , tuner , truck driver , and main shop guy , he gives a bulk of the credit to his crew , made up of his parents Lars-Erik and Ritha , brother Johan , longtime friend Peter “ Strumpan ” Ström , and a rotating cast of American nitro crew guys and Swedish racers who fly in for Lindberg ’ s U . S . races .
race against first round ? None other than Johan , 33 , who had flown in with his own car to drive for 2014 national champion Steve Harker .
“ We started laughing when we first saw the qualifying sheet ,” Jonnie joked . “ We thought everybody would think that we planned it that way . Steve and I sat down and tried to get the car down the track . I know the car , and he knows his motor combination , so we just put a pretty good tune-up in it .”
Even though Gordon and Johan were exactly one tenth away from each other in qualifying , Lindberg left first and improved to a 5.59 , while Gordon ’ s car nosed over just before crossing the 330-foot beam . The starting line in Lindberg ’ s lane erupted . Jonnie was already strapped in to his car and had to celebrate through radio communication . Two pairs of cars later , Jonnie scored a 5.48 victory over Greg Hunter , but that was just a “ victory lap ” of sorts . The pressure was
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off . The number one would remain on the side of his car for another year . Jonnie Lindberg was the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion yet again .
“ It ’ s always good to have your family with you when it happens , especially when your big brother comes to take care of business when little brother gets in trouble ,” Lindberg said . “ It was a funny coincidence that he qualified where he did and beat Gordon first round . It worked out like a Hollywood movie .”
It ’ s now the second Monday after the NHRA World Finals at Pomona . Lindberg is a full week removed from giving his second championship speech at the NHRA Lucas Oil Series awards banquet . He stayed in California for a few days to serve in the wedding party of friend and Top
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Fuel driver Richie Crampton . As he drives his aging red International toter through the desert , Lindberg has had time to reflect on his accomplishments . It ’ s not easy to coax the quiet Swede into boasting about his titles , but he lets slip a few statements of certainty .
“ I would say the first [ championship ] was harder . I learned so much more since then . I ’ m a better driver . I ’ m a better tuner . It ’ s a more consistent car . Last year was tough . We won three races and we only won the championship by two points . This year we had five wins . We ’ re better as a team . “ At the same time , the competition has been harder . It ’ s not easy . I don ’ t want to sound cocky and make it sound like this championship was easy . This season just felt better . We had more experience and I ’ m used to the tracks . Last year was our first time at a lot of the tracks . This year we went to Norwalk and Brainerd for the first time , and we won both , so we learn the tracks pretty quick .”
If Lindberg needed a mere three years to learn enough to win two consecutive championships , it ’ s hard to fathom what the bright young talent can accomplish in 2017 and beyond . With some of the biggest items – event wins at some of the most prestigious races , a world record , and two championships – already checked off his Top Alcohol Funny Car bucket list , Lindberg will look to the next level to achieve his latest goals .
“ I want to drive a nitro Funny Car ,” claimed Lindberg , who earned his crossover license in Tim Wilkerson ’ s LRS Mustang on the Monday after the Toyota Nationals . “ That ’ s going to be hard to do with my own pocket . We ’ ll see what happens . Hopefully I can run a race or two in a nitro car during the season . I ’ ve been talking to some people and hopefully I can work something out so I can be behind the wheel in a nitro car .”
Lindberg ’ s venture into the exponentially more expensive world of nitro racing might seem like a last-minute , do-it-while-you-can opportunity , but really it ’ s been on his mind all along .
“ I can be honest and say nitro is my goal . That ’ s
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November 2016 |
DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 75 |