Yep

COLUMBIA--One of these days Jordan Anderson will be standing on top of his race car at Daytona, holding a trophy high in the air and I'm going to turn to the person next to me and say, "Yep, that's my first ex-wife's brother's boy."
That, however, will be a few years down the road because Jordan is only 13 years old. But for a kid with a dream of someday being a NASCAR driver, he's farther down that road than most kids his age.
Jordan started racing go-carts when he was 7 and proved to be pretty talented. But he was still a kid playing other kids' games and that meant sooner or later he would have to choose.
"It started out as just something fun to do," said Jordan, who now races Legend Cars at 130 mph and has made quite a name for himself. "But back then I was still playing baseball like my dad did and I knew I'd have to choose one or the other."
Unlike many of his friends, he chose racing, and has not wavered from that decision.
"I sat down with my mom when I was 8 years old and told her I didn't want to hurt dad's feelings, but that I really loved racing," he said. "From that point on, it's been racing."
FULL DISCLOSURE
In the interest of fairness and full disclosure, I must tell you that Jordan is the son of Clif and Sherry Anderson, my former brother and sister-in-law from my first marriage.
I remember when Jordan was born, and never thought I'd be interviewing him for a sports column. But it turns out he's a great story.
"I've given up a lot of things to do this," Jordan said. "I've given up movies and video games to go racing and do sponsor promotions. It takes time, but it's a sacrifice you have to make."
That's because racing is not like other sports kids choose to compete in. This one is very expensive. Which is why his father told him that if he wanted to pursue this, he would have to find his own sponsors.
No problem. From an early age, Jordan learned to walk into a businessman's office, shake hands, look him in the eye and talk about this dream. And most times he would walk out with a check.
That's because this kid gets it. He knows NASCAR drivers have to be clean cut, well spoken and represent their sponsors in a positive light.
SELF GROOMING
Indeed, after a while you forget you're dealing with a 13-year-old kid.
"I've learned to speak in front of people and I like it," Jordan said. "I talk to Rotary and Optimist clubs in the area. I see it as a second talent that's all part of being a successful driver.
"Sponsors are not looking for redneck drivers. They're looking for drivers who can represent them in a professional manner."
So here's this kid, grooming himself for a career as a race car driver in an era when other kids in other sports are shunning civility and class to the detriment of society.
It's the kind of stuff that truly makes an ex-uncle proud.
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Ken Burger can be reached at kburger@postandcourier.com or 937-5598.