Christian Eckes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Christian Donald Eckes November 10, 2000 Middletown, New York, U.S. | ||||||
Achievements | 2019 ARCA Menards Series Champion 2016 Snowball Derby Winner 2016 Myrtle Beach 400 Winner | ||||||
Awards | 2016 CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year | ||||||
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
97 races run over 7 years | |||||||
Truck no., team | No. 19 (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) | ||||||
2023 position | 5th | ||||||
Best finish | 5th (2023) | ||||||
First race | 2018 M&M's 200 (Iowa) | ||||||
Last race | 2024 Long John Silver's 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
First win | 2021 Victoria's Voice Foundation 200 (Las Vegas) | ||||||
Last win | 2024 Long John Silver's 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| |||||||
ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
46 races run over 4 years | |||||||
Best finish | 1st (2019) | ||||||
First race | 2016 Music City 200 (Fairgrounds) | ||||||
Last race | 2019 Kansas ARCA 150 (Kansas) | ||||||
First win | 2018 Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 (Salem) | ||||||
Last win | 2019 Kansas ARCA 150 (Kansas) | ||||||
| |||||||
ARCA Menards Series East career | |||||||
3 races run over 1 year | |||||||
Best finish | 31st (2016) | ||||||
First race | 2016 ComServe Wireless 150 (Dominion) | ||||||
Last race | 2016 United Site Services 70 (Loudon) | ||||||
| |||||||
Statistics current as of June 3, 2023. |
Christian Donald Eckes (pronounced "eck-iss"; born November 10, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Eckes is the 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion, won the Snowball Derby in 2016, and was formerly a development driver for JR Motorsports and later Toyota.
Eckes grew up in Greenville, New York. He began racing Legends Cars at thirteen years old. He later moved up to racing late model stock cars and super late models. [1]
In 2015, Eckes began racing late models for JR Motorsports, as well as super late models for LFR Chassis as one of their driver development program drivers. [2] [3]
In April 2016, Eckes made his ARCA Racing Series debut at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Tennessee, driving for Venturini Motorsports. [4] He finished eighth, the only top-ten in four ARCA races that year. [5] Eckes also made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut at Dominion Raceway. [6] He ran two more events that year, at Columbus Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. [7]
He won three races in a row to end the season, one at Myrtle Beach Speedway, at Southern National Motorsports Park and the Snowball Derby, at Five Flags Speedway. [8] At the Snowball Derby, Eckes won over John Hunter Nemechek. [9] Although some reports pegged him as the youngest winner, those reports were erroneous, as Chase Elliott won the event in 2011 at age fifteen while Eckes was sixteen when he triumphed. [10]
In December 2016, Eckes and Venturini announced nine ARCA races in 2017. [11]
In July 2017, Eckes and Venturini re-signed for an enlarged ARCA schedule in 2018 that included fifteen races. [12] He triumphed for the first time at Salem Speedway in April 2018. Eckes kept fellow Venturini Motorsports driver Chandler Smith at bay over the closing portion of the race to secure the victory. [13] He followed up with wins at Illinois State Fairgrounds and Indianapolis Raceway Park during the year.
In the week following the win, Eckes landed a deal with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Kyle Busch Motorsports to drive the team's No. 46 entry in four races in the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, starting at Iowa Speedway in June. [14]
On October 24, 2018, it was announced that Eckes would run the No. 15 full-time for Venturini Motorsports in 2019. [15] Despite missing the Salem Speedway race in April due to a esophageal tear in his trachea, [16] he went on to win the 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship with four wins, 13 top fives, and 17 top tens in 19 starts. Eckes was the first ARCA champion to not run every race since Tim Steele in 1997. [17]
During the 2019 season, he ran eight races in the Truck Series with KBM in the No. 51. Finishing 3rd at Homestead later that year, Eckes locked up KBM’s 7th Owner’s Championship. [18]
The following year, he joined the team's No. 18 for the full 2020 Truck season. [19] Eckes made the NASCAR playoffs but was eliminated after the first round; at Texas in October, Eckes was intentionally spun by Ben Rhodes, eliminating Eckes from the race. He later confronted Rhodes and had a verbal and physical confrontation. [20] He finished with a winless season and an eighth-place finish in the standings.
In 2021, Eckes moved to ThorSport Racing after being replaced at KBM by Chandler Smith. [21] He entered 10 races of the 22-race season, sharing the schedule with Grant Enfinger. [22]
In 2022, after his maiden win at Las Vegas, Eckes would move up to full-time in the No. 98 after Enfinger moved back to GMS Racing. He finished and tied a career-best 8th in the final standings, despite having no wins.
On December 6, 2022, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Eckes would pilot the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado in 2023, replacing Derek Kraus. Eckes started the 2023 season with a third place finish at Daytona. He then scored wins at Atlanta, Darlington, and Kansas. [23] [24] Eckes was eliminated at the conclusion of the Round of 8 at Homestead. [25] He won two weeks later at Phoenix and finished fifth in the final points standings. [26]
Eckes started the 2024 season with a 10th-place finish at Daytona. Throughout the season, he won at Bristol and Martinsville. [27] [28]
Eckes was born on November 10, 2000, to George and Darlene Eckes. He has an older sister, Erica. Eckes attended George Washington University Online High School. [1]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
1 Ineligible for series points
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSEC | Pts | Ref |
2016 | LFR Driver Development Group | 15 | Ford | NSM | MOB | GRE | BRI | VIR | DOM 7 | STA | COL 9 | NHA 18 | IOW | GLN | GRE | NJE | DOV | 31st | 98 | [36] |
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
2016 | Venturini Motorsports | 66 | Toyota | DAY | NSH 8 | SLM | TAL | TOL | NJE | POC | MCH | 40th | 625 | [37] | ||||||||||||
15 | MAD 14 | WIN | IOW 11 | IRP 26 | POC | BLN | ISF | DSF | SLM | CHI | KEN | KAN | ||||||||||||||
2017 | DAY | NSH 3 | SLM 8* | TAL | TOL 8 | ELK 2 | POC | MCH | MAD 5 | IOW 8 | IRP 10 | POC | WIN 2 | ISF 6 | ROA | DSF | SLM 19 | CHI | KEN | KAN | 16th | 1980 | [38] | |||
2018 | DAY | NSH 8 | SLM 1 | TAL | TOL 21 | CLT | POC 11 | MCH | MAD | GTW 4 | CHI | IOW 11 | ELK 2 | POC 13 | ISF 1 | BLN 11 | DSF 4 | SLM 7 | IRP 1* | KAN | 12th | 2650 | [39] | |||
2019 | DAY 4 | FIF 3 | SLM INQ† | TAL 26 | NSH 1* | TOL 3 | CLT 7 | POC 3 | MCH 7 | MAD 7 | GTW 2 | CHI 7 | ELK 11 | IOW 2 | POC 1 | ISF 2 | DSF 1* | SLM 2 | IRP 2 | KAN 1 | 1st | 5045 | [40] | |||
† – Qualified for the 2019 Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 but was replaced by Harrison Burton due to illness |
Jeffrey McClure is an American former stock car racing driver who raced for multiple years in all three major NASCAR series as well as what is now the ARCA Menards Series. McClure has been involved in the ARCA after his driving days are over, working as a team owner and most recently as a crew chief.
Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) was an American professional dirt racing team that competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. They formerly competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, CARS Tour, ARCA/CRA Super Series, Southern Super Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West, and was also the parent company of Super Late Model chassis constructor Rowdy Manufacturing. Originally fielding Toyota Tundras since its inception, the team switched to Chevrolet Silverados beginning in 2023. The team last fielded two full-time Chevrolet Silverados: the No. 4 for Chase Purdy and the No. 51, which was driven each year by the team owner Kyle Busch along with Jack Wood and multiple Chevrolet drivers from other NASCAR series.
Benjamin J. Rhodes is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 99 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. He is the 2021 and 2023 Truck Series champion. Before moving up to the Truck Series, Rhodes competed full-time in what is now the ARCA Menards Series East, where he drove for Turner Scott Motorsports and won the 2014 series championship. He also has previously competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and what is now the ARCA Menards Series.
Erik Benjamin Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for Legacy Motor Club. His nicknames are EJ, his initials, and That Jones Boy, given to him by announcer Ken Squier. Until 2021, Jones had spent his entire NASCAR and ARCA career with Toyota, and while in their driver development program, he won the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. He would return to Toyota's NASCAR program in 2023 when Legacy Motor Club would switch their manufactural allegiance to them.
Venturini Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West. Founded in 1982 by Bill Venturini Sr., Venturini Motorsports is the longest continually operated ARCA racing team in the United States. The team is based in Concord, North Carolina.
Justin Michael Boston is a realtor broker and an American former professional stock car racing driver. A former development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, he most recently drove the No. 54 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Boston was the Rookie of the Year in the ARCA Racing Series driving for Venturini Motorsports in 2013.
Brandon Alexander Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, as well as part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet SS for Cook Racing Technologies. He has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series East in the past.
Todd Jeremey Gilliland is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of NASCAR driver and team owner David Gilliland.
Noah Q. Gragson is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart–Haas Racing. He previously drove full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports from 2019 to 2022 driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro, and full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports from 2017 to 2018 driving the No. 18 Toyota Tundra.
Cody Coughlin is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 72 Ford Mustang, and part-time in the ARCA/CRA Super Series and CARS Pro Late Model Tour, driving the No. 1 Toyota/Chevrolet, both for his family team, Coughlin Brothers Racing. He has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the past.
Harrison Brian Burton is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton.
Raphaël Lessard is a Canadian professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Pinty's Series for Ed Hakonson Racing. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. He has also driven for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series, and GMS Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and DGR-Crosley in the Truck Series.
Spencer Scott Davis is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner, who currently competes part-time in the Whelen Modified Tour. He also competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, last driving the No. 04 Ford F-150 for Roper Racing.
Zane Michael Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in an alliance with Trackhouse Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. He won the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship driving for Front Row Motorsports.
Chandler Michael Smith Sr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 81 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. He was a member of Toyota Racing Development's TD2 driver development system from 2018 until the end of 2022 but rejoined the program starting in 2024.
The 2019 ARCA Menards Series was the 67th season of the ARCA Menards Series. Christian Eckes of Venturini Motorsports won the championship over teammate Michael Self. Eckes became the first champion since Tim Steele in 1997 to win the title after missing a race during the season.
The 2020 ARCA Menards Series season was the 68th season of the ARCA Menards Series. It began on February 8 with the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona International Speedway and ended on October 16 with the Speediatrics 150 at Kansas Speedway. 2020 was the first season that the series was sanctioned by NASCAR.
Andrew J. Dollar is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He has raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West.
Corey David Heim is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. He also serves as a reserve driver for Legacy Motor Club and 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series, East Series, and West Series.
Amber Balcaen is a Canadian professional stock car racing driver. She competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 22 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. She is most known for being the first Canadian woman to win in a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States.