Fastest teen in town races for a championship
By Laura Liger

Fifteen- year- old Jordan Anderson, a student at Covenant Christian School, dreams of being a NASCAR champion.

Start your engines, Columbia, and watch out for the fastest teen in town who doesn't even have a driver's license. Since the age of seven, when he received a go- kart from his parents, Jordan Anderson found passion in auto racing, and he has the credentials to back it up.

Now 15- years- old, Anderson's experience in racing mirrors the early careers of some of the greatest NASCAR drivers in history. He understands driving is only part of the path to becoming a NASCAR driver. Anderson has also learned valuable life skills that many adults would envy.

After just a few years of racing go- karts, Anderson knew auto racing was his life's passion. "I just loved it... the speed, the feel of control... It seems like I have always wanted to race," he said. Anderson's racing skills quickly pushed him into the Bandolero series for two years, where he received numerous wins. Not long after that Anderson was racing in the Semi- Pro Legends Series where he racked up five wins in 2004 and won 21 of 37 races in 2005 along with a national championship. In 2006, Anderson began racing a full- sized, late model car and truck and a Legends car in the Legends Pro series for the first time.

Most remarkable about this rising star's career and character is that despite his numerous achievements and sky- high goals, Anderson understands auto racing is an unpredictable career that requires an extraordinary amount of endurance and resilience.

"Most people my age don't even know what they are going to do next year," said Anderson. "I'm very lucky I have found a passion in my life, a dream to chase after. But because I want to be a race car driver, I have to sacrifice certain things."

In addition to making time for racing, Anderson spends much of his time gaining sponsorship, maintaining his race car, updating his own website, and continually seeking motivation and inspiration. Anderson has taken courses in public and motivational speaking, which he says not only give him the confidence needed in seeking sponsors for his racing but also allow him to share his story with others.

Anderson has been a guest speaker for the Rotary and Optimist Clubs. He was spokesperson for the Race Against Drugs program at E.L. Wright Middle School, and has enjoyed several radio and television spots. One of his biggest accomplishments, he says, was speaking to a congregation of almost 1500 people at the Race to Win music camp sponsored by Shandon Baptist Church.

Clif and Sheri Anderson, his rightfully proud and supportive parents, are relieved their son has only sustained minor injuries in his racing career. In addition to being trapped in a burning car, Anderson managed to drive 40 laps in a Las Vegas race after sustaining a broken wrist when he was rammed by another car.

Anderson says the reality of injury, loss, and gaining enough monetary support from sponsors is simply a part of racing that he is willing to accept and endure. It is one reason Anderson maintains grades of As and Bs at Covenant Christian School. "Obviously, if I get a sponsor or team to qualify for NASCAR by the time I'm 18, I will do that," he said, "but, if not, I want to go college. I have to have a backup plan."

On Jan. 2, 2007, Anderson was named the 2006 Team ML Driver of the Year by www.motorsportslounge.com. In addition to this accomplishment, Anderson plans to continue to race in the Legends Pro series as much as possible and hopes to accumulate a lot of wins and racing points in hope of a national championship. The cost of repairing his truck from previous damage and the overall maintenance and costs of participating in races mean Anderson will be spending a great deal of his spare time gaining sponsors. He will need to raise approximately $50,000 to reach his goals this year. Therefore, Anderson plans to paint his Legends car white in hopes that individuals and businesses will sponsor his race car for $100 in exchange for a space on the car where they can sign their name.

"People get very excited when they get involved, and so do I. I am a very loyal person, and I don't forget people who help me out."

Anderson says he spends a lot of time maintaining relationships with his sponsors and fans. His major sponsors currently include Dick Dyer Toyota, Green Orthodontics, Moore Orthopedic Clinic, and Leon Jones Insurance. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, go to www.jordanandersonracing.com.