In one of the coolest announcements of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Andrew Patterson is getting a chance to make eight starts in the series this season, behind the wheel of the No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet.
Patterson’s debut will come next weekend at Martinsville Speedway, and he’ll return for the events at Rockingham, Charlotte, San Diego, Bristol (Fall), Las Vegas (Fall), Phoenix (Fall), and Homestead.
Patterson, a longtime employee of Jordan Anderson Racing, took a chance by moving from Ohio to Statesville, NC, in 2021 to begin working in the race shop for the upstart organization. In fact, the team says Patterson lived in an apartment connected to the team’s former Truck Series shop for several years, while helping build the team into a contender.
The grind displayed by Patterson has impressed team owner Jordan Anderson.
“Andrew has been part of this team since the very beginning,” said Anderson. “He’s been here since Day 1 of our O’Reilly Series program and I couldn’t be more proud of the effort and determination he’s shown to get to this point. He’s put in the work in every area of this team, from building the cars in the shop to traveling with us on the road, all while grinding away at his own racing career. The discipline and grit he’s shown to make it this far has been really impressive.”
As Patterson continued helping Jordan Anderson Racing grow on the track, he also pursued his own racing dreams behind the wheel on the late model scene in the Southeast. Patterson’s regional racing led to opportunities in the ARCA Menards Series ranks in 2024 and 2025, including a near-win while driving for Nitro Motorsports last season at Salem Speedway.
Now, he’ll get the chance to compete at the NASCAR National Series level for JAR.
“To see him now get the chance to climb behind the wheel of the No. 32 is really special,” Anderson explained. “He knows these cars inside and out, and I truly feel like he’s earned this opportunity. Watching him fight for the win at Salem last year proved to me he was ready for this moment. He’s made the sacrifices and shown he has what it takes to compete at this level.”
Patterson is filled with gratitude for the opportunity.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity Jordan and everyone at the shop have given me,” said Patterson. “When I moved to Statesville after graduating and started out on tear down with the team, I never imagined I’d one day get the chance to drive one of these cars for them. Being around the program every day has helped me learn so much about how these cars work and how the team operates.”
