Anderson On Sixth At Daytona: ‘Man, It Feels Good’

Jordan Anderson (Danny Hansen/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – By bringing a clean race car to the checkered flag in Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona Int’l Speedway, owner-driver Jordan Anderson earned himself at least one more NASCAR Xfinity Series start this season.

In perhaps the quietest superspeedway race of his NASCAR career, the longtime journeyman competitor tallied a feel-good sixth-place finish at a track he calls “one of my absolute favorites.”

Making a rare Xfinity Series appearance for the team he co-owns with businessman John Bommarito, Anderson avoided chaos all night long at the World Center of Racing, picking his way through three multi-car accidents to put himself in contention on an overtime restart.

Though he lined up 10th and ultimately got to sixth before a final-lap caution froze the running order and ended the race, Anderson was still ecstatic at the effort put in by his No. 32 Volpi Foods team.

It was his second top 10 at Daytona this season in the Xfinity Series, after running fourth in the season opener.

“I’ll take it, you know? To finish fourth here in February and come here and end up sixth, that’s unbelievable for as few starts as I’m able to make nowadays,” said Anderson after the race. “I don’t get to do this much, you know, because I’m sitting on the pit box every week watching [Jordan Anderson Racing-Bommarito Autosport drivers] Jeb [Burton] and Parker [Retzlaff]. So when I get a chance to [drive], I have to make the most of it.

“What a phenomenal night, to do what we did and come out of here like this. I had a lot of fun, even if it was a crazy race.”

Though as the co-owner, he could make the choice to run the final superspeedway race of the year at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway regardless, Anderson tipped on pit road that his crew gave him very simple guidelines prior to the start Friday night.

“Everyone told me if I brought the car back clean, I could run Talladega,” Anderson said, a big smile cresting his features. “And I think, other than maybe a few scratches, we’re clean!

“We had Volpi Foods jump on board; they sponsored me here and they will be at Talladega, too,” he continued. “These are the only two races I’ve got left this year and man, it feels good to have some success like this.”

Jordan Anderson (32) battles Josh Bilicki Friday night at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Danny Hansen/NKP photo)

With Daytona 500-winning crew chief and father-in-law Larry McReynolds calling the shots atop the pit box – Anderson is married to McReynolds’ daughter Kendall – the 33-year-old from Forest Acres, S.C., found himself in “perfect position” after a crash coming to five laps to go led to a red flag and overtime.

He followed the momentum in the outside lane during the first lap of the green-white-checkered finish, with drafting help from rookie Leland Honeyman Jr., but ran out of time after A.J. Allmendinger spun in turn one and ultimately washed back up into the outside wall to bring out the yellow.

“I was really hoping [to race back to the finish line.] I saw whoever it was [Allmendinger] spun to the inside and I thought to myself, ‘Man, please let us get back to the checkered, because you never know what could happen in [turns] three and four.

“I think we were in a perfect spot to maybe jump [to] the middle or push through there, but the caution kept us from trying that,” Anderson lamented. “Our entire team did a great job building a fast car, and it was good all night. I could go wherever I wanted to. I know Jeb and Parker got caught up [in crashes] earlier in the night, but what a fun night for me as a driver. I’m excited.

“Maybe I can do a little more of this [in the future]. You never know.”

As Anderson soaked in yet another good memory at the World Center of Racing – in addition to his two top 10s this year, he finished second in back-to-back Craftsman Truck Series races at Daytona in 2020 and ’21 – it brought back memories of his childhood, when he grew up coming to the track as a young fan.

“To get two top ten here at Daytona in incredible. I love this place,” he said. “I remember when I first came here with my dad, when I was six [years old] … we camped out in the back of his Tahoe and made a weekend out of it.

“Anytime you come here, you feel the history of the sport and everything. It’s just phenomenal.”

Before walking off into the Florida night and turning his driving preparations toward Talladega, however, Anderson offered perhaps the most fitting quote of the night – for himself and many others, as well.

“That was a pretty crazy race, wasn’t it?” he quipped, surrounded by a sea of smiling crew members.

Anderson’s final Xfinity Series drive of the season at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway will take place Saturday, Oct. 5. Broadcast coverage of the United Rentals 250 is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET, live on NBC, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.