Truck Series: Eckes moves two, solidifies spot in Championship 4 at Martinsville

Written by Sean McKean

Credit - Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images

Following hard late-race battles with Taylor Gray and Ben Rhodes, it was Christian Eckes who took his fourth win of the season. This was his second victory at the Martinsville track – having won here in the spring.

As it unfolded

Christian Eckes led the way from pole mostly uncontested. 

The race remained clean for the most part until Lap 36, when Niece’s Matthew Gould came to a halt on the backstretch. This brought out the first caution. 

Eckes took the Lap 42 restart as leader and held it until the first stage’s end. Ty Majeski and Nick Sanchez followed behind.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 19 - Christian Eckes [Playoffs]

2. No. 98 - Ty Majeski [Playoffs]

3. No. 2 - Nick Sanchez [Playoffs]

4. No. 17 - Taylor Gray [Playoffs]

5. No. 38 - Layne Riggs

6. No. 11 - Corey Heim [Playoffs]

7. No. 45 - Kaden Honeycutt

8. No. 77 - Chase Purdy

9. No. 1 - William Sawalich

10. No. 7 - Connor Zilisch

Most drivers took to the pits under the stage caution, However, mechanical faults struck playoff driver Rajah Caruth. After a few laps of trotting around, the Spire driver went to the garage – ending his Championship 4 hopes.

Eckes again led the way on Lap 60 and kept it until Lap 98, when the caution came back out for a crash in Turn 3 by Dylan Lupton.

This caution ended the stage: Eckes took victory followed by Ty Majeski and Nick Sanchez.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 19 - Christian Eckes [Playoffs]

2. No. 98 - Ty Majeski [Playoffs]

3. No. 2 - Nick Sanchez [Playoffs]

4. No. 11 - Corey Heim [Playoffs]

5. No. 1 - William Sawalich

6. No. 52 - Stewart Friesen

7. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes

8. No. 45 - Kaden Honeycutt

9. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum [Playoffs]

10. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger [Playoffs]

Eckes controlled the Lap 111 restart, but a bit of wheel-spin allowed Ben Rhodes to take the lead for the first time tonight. Rhodes only held on for five laps, however, as Eckes took his lead back.

Just before pit stops, the caution came back out on Lap 162. Going into Turn 1, Niece’s Kaden Honeycutt suffered a tyre failure and hit the outside wall – coming to a halt mid-corner.

Eckes led uncontested again on the next restart.

On Lap 182, multiple cars brought out the caution. Dean Thompson, going into Turn 3, gave a nudge to TRICON teammate Tanner Gray. This resulted in Gray hitting Brett Moffitt to his outside and sending both into a spin. Corey Day also hit the outside wall in avoidance.

After the restart, Eckes led, but with fresher tyres, Taylor Gray began to run down the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver. However, a caution with 11 laps remaining – stemming from an incident between Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger – set the trucks up for a late restart.

With five laps remaining, Gray managed to clear Eckes on the restart. But, heading into Turn 3, Eckes dove deep into the corner and pushed Gray up into the fourth lane. This initially allowed Rhodes to take the lead but the same treatment was given to the defending champion. Subsequently, Christian Eckes went on to win his way into the Championship 4.

Results:

1. No. 19 - Christian Eckes (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing)

3. No. 77 - Chase Purdy (Spire Motorsports)

4. No. 17 - Taylor Gray (TRICON Garage) [ELIMINATED]

5. No. 2 - Nick Sanchez (Rev Racing) [ELIMINATED]

6. No. 38 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports)

7. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage) [Playoffs]

8. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [ELIMINATED]

9. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (CR7 Motorsports) [Playoffs]

10. No. 52 - Stewart Friesen (Halmar Friesen Racing)

11. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing) [Playoffs]

12. No. 7 - Connor Zilisch (Spire Motorsports)

13. No. 88 - Matt Crafton (ThorSport Racing)

14. No. 1 - William Sawalich (TRICON Garage)

15. No. 25 - Dawson Sutton (Rackley WAR)

16. No. 41 - Bayley Currey (Niece Motorsports)

17. No. 5 - Dean Thompson (TRICON Garage)

18. No. 81 - Corey Day (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

19. No. 42 - Matt Mills (Niece Motorsports)

20. No. 13 - Jake Garcia (ThorSport Racing) +1 lap

21. No. 56 - Timmy Hill (Hill Motorsports) +2 laps

22. No. 76 - Spencer Boyd (Freedom Racing Enterprises) +2 laps

23. No. 33 - Lawless Alan (Reaume Brothers Racing) +2 laps

24. No. 22 - Clayton Green (Reaume Brothers Racing) +3 laps

25. No. 90 - Justin Carroll (TC Motorsports) +3 laps

26. No. 91 - Jack Wood (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) +4 laps

27. No. 44 - Matthew Gould (Niece Motorsports) +5 laps

28. No. 66 - Johnny Sauter (ThorSport Racing) [DNF]

29. No. 15 - Taylor Gray (TRICON Garage) [DNF]

30. No. 4 - Brett Moffitt (Hettinger Racing) [DNF]

31. No. 71 - Rajah Caruth (Spire Motorsports) [ELIMINATED] [DNF]

32. No. 43 - Daniel Dye (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [DNF]

33. No. 45 - Kaden Honeycutt (Niece Motorsports) [DNF]

34. No. 02 - Dylan Lupton (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]

35. No. 16 - Landen Lewis (Hattori Racing Enterprises) [DNF]

36. No. 6 - Norm Benning (Norm Benning Racing) [DNF]

With the Round of 8 over, these four drivers are now level on points ahead of next Friday’s finale at Phoenix.

1. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (2 Wins, 10.8 Avg/Fin)

2. No. 19 - Christian Eckes (4 Wins, 5.5 Avg/Fin)

3. No. 11 - Corey Heim (6 Wins, 7.4 Avg/Fin)

4. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (2 Wins, 11.1 Avg/Fin)