XFINITY: Teams to use Clauson decal at Mid-Ohio

NASCAR XFINITY Series teams will honor Bryan Clauson with decals on all of its cars this Saturday at its race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The decal will be placed on the A-Post of all cars in honor of Clauson, who died Sunday from injuries suffered in Saturday's Belleville Nationals. He was 27.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., one of Clauson's closest friends, will pace the field to the green in Clauson's Matt Wood Racing No. 17w for Thursday night's Knoxville Nationals qualifying.

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Clauson was signed to Chip Ganassi's driver development program in 2006 and began racing stock cars, winning at the ARCA race at Gateway in 2007 in addition to the pole at Talladega. He made 21 starts in NASCAR's Nationwide series in 2008 and won the pole at Daytona, but his ride evaporated before the '09 campaign began.

"He was a dear friend to many in the racing community, and he was loved and respected by all who knew him," NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said in a statement released after Clauson's death was announced. "He touched the lives of so many in our motorsports family, and his warm presence and relentless enthusiasm will be missed."