Jordan Anderson has been to Darlington Raceway several times but he has done so as a fan.
Sunday afternoon, that will change in a big way for the Forest Acres product.
When NASCAR announced its modified 2020 schedule due to the pandemic, one of the changes was adding Darlington to the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series schedule.
It will mark the first appearance of the truck series in the Pee Dee since 2011.
"To be able to race in my home state of South Carolina, it carries a lot of weight. A lot of honor," Anderson said.
"I'm always proud to fly our Palmetto flag all across the United States when we go race at all these places. So, to be in South Carolina, to be able to go to Darlington, a place that's got so much history for the entire state of South Carolina, it means a lot. That's where I fell in love with NASCAR. It's where I watched my first NASCAR race. If it wasn't for Darlington, I don't think I'd ever be in this sport and where I am now. It's going to mean a lot for me to be there. It means a lot to my family, a lot of friends and sponsors from the Columbia area that have supported me from day one. It's really a culmination of a lot of things and opportunities and the people that have stood behind us."
Anderson is in his sixth season as a full-time driver in NASCAR and his third as an owner/driver. He didn't know if he would ever get a chance to race at Darlington, but now that opportunity is in a matter of hours, not days or weeks or even years.
"Ever since they announced, 'Hey, this is the new NASCAR schedule', we went to the Daytona road course a couple of weeks ago, that was a whole new curve ball," Anderson said.
"With Richmond on the schedule and Darlington, Darlington is the one I had circled, I'm like 'I can't wait to finally race at Darlington'. So, I think excited would be an understatement as to how I feel."
Anderson will start 19th in the South Carolina Education Lottery at 2:00 p.m..
The Cook Out Southern 500 will follow at 6:00 p.m.