NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeffrey Earnhardt is carrying a special paint scheme on his No. 18 iK9 Toyota Supra in this weekend's Alsco 300 to honor a local officer who was killed in the line of duty earlier this month.

Officer Jordan Sheldon of the Mooresville Police Department was killed during a routine traffic stop on May 4. Sheldon was a six-year veteran of the department, having spent the last four years of his career as part of the K9 unit.

Sheldon and his dog, Ramon, were trained at the iK9 facility in Anniston, Alabama.

"Charlotte race weekend is always special, but this race will have a different feeling to it," Earnhardt said. "There are no words to describe how thankful I am for the opportunity to pay tribute to Officer Sheldon and Ramon. As a Mooresville native, it means so much to honor a man who put his life on the line to protect our community and I appreciate everything that iK9, Xtreme Concepts and Toyota have done to make this possible. Hopefully we can give Officer Sheldon's friends and family a weekend to remember."

Sheldon was a native of Charlotte and graduated from Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina, and UNC-Charlotte. A photo of Sheldon and Ramon adorns the quarter panels of Earnhardt's Toyota, with Sheldon's name on the roof and a special Mooresville PD logo on the hood of the red, white and blue vehicle.