IRMO (WACH) -- While most college kids spend their extra time working odd jobs or hanging out at the beach, you'll find Danny Efland on the track.
The University of South Carolina senior back in the Midlands this week after racing in Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series in Dover, Delaware. It was only Efland's third race of the season as he tries to make his school work a priority.
"Sometimes it gets tough, I'm really just a normal college student most of the time," said Efland. "A lot of the racing stuff I do is on the side."
An aspiring Sprint Cup driver with more than two dozen races on his resume, Efland has rubbed elbows with some of NASCAR's big name drivers; but he's not star struck.
"Now its become like a job, and I'm getting used to running with these guys and they're really great at what they do; but then again they're just normal people. I've learned to respect them as race car drivers and not so much as famous rockstars."
Efland realizing he wouldn't be where he is if not for the support of his family, crew and sponsors.
"While I love the driving aspect of it, I've learned to love and respect what goes on at the shops, what goes on at the garages and racetracks. There's a lot that goes into getting one of these cars on the racetrack."
Efland finished 23 in Dover. In December, he will graduate from USC with a degree in Civil Engineering. His next race is at Charlotte Motor Speedway May 28.
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