On Feb. 1, Jimmy Alund was given an unexpected opportunity.

That day it was announced four-time NHRA world champion Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson would sit out the first three months of the season while recovering from heart surgery which he had on Feb. 6.

On Sunday, Alund, who is from Norrkoping, Sweden, captured a historic win at the Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in his Summit Racing Camaro.

Alund clocked a 6.562-elapsed time at 2211.59 mph to defeat Shane Gray (6.563 seconds), Vincent Nobile (6.667) and Erica Enders (11.719).

Alund became the first European winner in Pro Stock and only the fourth non-American winner in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

“It means a lot,” Alund said about his place in NHRA history. “It really has not sunk in yet. I have a lot of wins in Europe, but this is something special.”

Alund’s confidence also has never wavered in his team since he replaced Anderson.

“I knew if I did my best I could do much more,” said Alund, an eight-time FIA European Drag Racing Pro Stock champion. “These guys are professionals and they gave me a good race car. It took awhile for us to work well together. In this format (Four-Wide) everybody wants to go in there and stage first and be ready and that actually fits me a little bit better because over in Europe when I race it doesn’t take as long as is does here (in the United States). They are setting the wheelie bars and rolling in and for me doing it that way takes forever. This weekend felt natural and I think it helped me a little bit.”

Anderson is expected to miss the first six races of the season. The sixth race is the Spring Nationals April 25-27 in Houston. The seventh race is the Southern Nationals May 16-18 in Atlanta.

“I was actually running out of opportunities, so I better grab this one,” Alund said.

Alund became the 58th different driver to win an NHRA Pro Stock race and he was clutching the Wally while answering questions in the pressroom.

“To outrun nine cars in one day and the people in those cars and teams you have been looking up to when you’re racing in Europe, it’s pretty awesome,” Alund said. “I remember the first race at Pomona, Greg (Anderson) said drive it (the car) like I stole it, and I’m actually thinking about stealing it from him right now. We need red, white and blue (cars).So, we have a white car in the shop and let’s hope Summit puts it out there and I would sure be glad to drive it. My (driving) season in Europe overlaps and to be honest with you we will cross that bridge if we get to that. I have sponsors over there. I have responsibilities. But, I think my sponsors over there are pretty happy.”

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