KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Even the most passionate of NASCAR fans likely won’t recognize the names above most of the driver’s doors this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Steve Ronfeldt, Margaret Steuf, and Toby Keith, yes that Toby Keith, aren’t NASCAR’s hottest new drivers. They are all people like Brian Jackson, 67, of Lee’s Summit, who are battling or have battled cancer.

“That’s the gift of cancer. You enjoy every day that you get. I don’t take any day for granted,” Jackson said.

His name is over the driver door of the Number 54 car of NASCAR Cup driver Ty Gibbs. No one will be more excited to see it when he gets into town for Sunday’s race than Joe Gibbs Racing Athletic Director over pit crews Chris Burkey .

“Uncle Brian means the world to me , he’s a great family man,” Burkey said.

Jackson’s twin brother Barry won an auction that’s raised more than $300,000 the past two years for the NASCAR and Martin Truex Jr. Foundations to have Brian’s name on the car with the special family connection.- He then surprised Burkey and Brian with the news.

“I think it’s an outstanding program that NASCAR does. Any time that we can show and honor people especially with this going through challenging times and tough times,” Burkey said.

Jackson hopes if people see his name this weekend they’ll see it as an inspiration that cancers like the renal cell carcinoma he’s battled since 2014 are no longer a death sentence. He spent the latter part of his career working on a drug for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for children that gained FDA approval.

“We estimate it saves about 1,000 lives a year. I’ve been on both sides of this never worked harder to get it approved so I’d save a lot of lives and now I’m on the receiving end of that,” Jackson said.

Though Jackson says he’s honored to have his name on the car, he did say the real hero’s name who should be there is his wife of 43 years, Carolyn, who is there with him for all his appointments including ones Friday where he spent almost the full day at the hospital.

But he does plan to be out at the track Sunday in Ty Gibbs pit box getting a good look at all the action and the very special car.