JAMES McFadden hopes to board a plane to America on Wednesday and take his seat at the Knoxville 360 Nationals this weekend.
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But the Australian-based sprintcar driver, who calls Warrnambool home, knows there could be more twists and turns on his journey.
McFadden, the reigning Knoxville 360 Nationals champion, has been given an exemption amid the coronavirus pandemic to fly to the US for work purposes.
He hopes to race aboard on the World of Outlaws circuit until November.
"There are a lot of things that could go wrong but the plan is to fly out of here on Wednesday," McFadden told The Standard.
"That's about the earliest I can do with all the exemptions and passport things and stuff you have to do to leave the country these days."
McFadden, who will race for Kasey Kahne Racing, said it had been a roller-coaster journey but he "needed to be there as it's my job".
"You kind of prepared yourself to race and then prepared yourself not to race and the whole process has been quite long," he said.
"Until I am there in the car, I won't be that excited.
"But I am excited about the prospect of racing there for a few months, and fingers crossed all things going to plan, we'll make it for the 360 nationals."
McFadden said the process of international travel during the COVID-19 era was "quite strict".
"I would've been there a lot sooner if it was easy," he said.
"It's been really, really strict on how you can get there and the way you've got to get there with VISAs.
"That is why it's taken the amount of time it has."
The two-time Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic winner, who is a regular on the American circuit, is preparing for a busy few days before he leaves.
"Considering last week I wasn't going anywhere, I've got a fair bit on," he said.
"It is a whole different way of travelling.
"I am not too sure what to expect.
"I know the route I have to go is not the normal way with border restrictions going into Sydney, it's really hard to get a flight, so we're going about 15 hours out of the way to get to America."
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