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 |
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