On the 10-year anniversary — to the day — of Bryan Clauson’s death, Tyler Courtney delivered an emotional victory for himself and his Clauson-Marshall Racing team in Friday’s portion of the 36th annual Xtream powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway.

Clauson, who died at 27 from injuries suffered in a midget crash at Kansas’s Belleville High Banks, was instrumental in Courtney’s formative years as a racer. At 16, Courtney put his own racing pursuits aside for a summer in 2009 to work in Clauson’s shop, eager to learn from a driver he considered his superhero. 

Seven years later, Courtney fittingly outdueled his mentor at Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway for his first USAC National Sprint Car victory in July 2016, just a month before Clauson’s death. He's carried the No. 7BC ever since the 2017 season.

“This morning, you start looking on Facebook, just remembering what a special person and great person he was,” Courtney said in Knoxville victory lane. “Just a great mentor for me. I feel like if there’s a night to win, tonight’s the night, especially at Knoxville — but it’s even more special today. Wish he was here to see it.”

Courtney started from the outside pole but lost the lead on the initial start to polesitter Brady Bacon, who quickly built a 1.5-second advantage by lap three.

After putting Anthony Macri behind him for second on lap two, Courtney began reeling in Bacon and pulled within striking distance by lap 11 while working the middle of the track. Courtney made his move a lap later when Bacon drifted up the banking in turn four, allowing Courtney to cut underneath him and complete the crossover for the go-ahead pass before the flagstand.

From there, Courtney’s savvy work through traffic helped him keep Bacon at bay, taking the checkered flag 0.770 of a second ahead.

“I wouldn’t say it’s easier, but you just have nothing to lose running second. So you can go search around and see what works and doesn’t work,” Courtney said. “I feel like I got to move around right before we got to lapped traffic and found something that worked for me.

“We just had a really good car. Drawing the 73 (pill in qualifying) wasn’t ideal, but we made the most of it. Just an awesome car. Last time here in the 410, we had a great car. (Crew chief) Jake (Argo) put the same special setup on it tonight, I think. It felt pretty similar. I let him do the work and do the hard stuff.”

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360 Knoxville Nationals Friday Results at Knoxville Raceway