Christian Eckes grabs a dramatic NASCAR Truck Series victory at Martinsville Speedway on Friday night in the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200.
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Christian Eckes wasn’t about to lose a race he had dominated, even if it meant using the front bumper on his No. 19 Chevrolet—twice.
After a restart with five laps left in Friday night’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Eckes first moved the Toyota of Taylor Gray and then the Ford of Ben Rhodes—both of which were rolling on 40-lap fresher tires—to win the race and earn a spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Championship 4 Race.
Six-time winner Corey Heim ran seventh and Ty Majeski came home 11th, as both earned berths in the Championship 4 on points, eliminating Gray, Nick Sanchez, Tyler Ankrum, and Rajah Caruth in the final event of the Playoffs’ Round of 8. Christian Eckes joins Grant Enfinger with Championship 4 berths based on wins in the Round of 8.
After the restart on lap 196 of 200, Gray used his better tires to squeeze past Eckes to the inside. Eckes regained the top spot by moving Gray up the track. A lap later, Rhodes passed Eckes, who completed the fourth lead change in the final five laps by shoving the No. 99 Ford on lap 198.
Free of his competitors, Eckes crossed the finish line two laps later, 1.191 seconds ahead of Rhodes. Chase Purdy and Gray were third and fourth, followed by Sanchez.
“Like I told everybody, I wasn’t going to lose this race—this truck was too good,” Eckes said. “The 17 (Gray) was hard racing. I feel bad about the 99 (Rhodes). I just got way too loose entering the corner.
“(Hearing boos from the crowd). Everybody’s really happy with me—but I don’t really care. I’m proud of everybody for working hard, and we’re going to Phoenix.”
The victory was Eckes’ fourth of the season, his second at Martinsville, and the ninth of his career, but it came with a price.
Taylor Gray Misses His Chance at a Title
After climbing from his truck, Gray angrily walked toward Eckes and expressed displeasure at the move that eliminated his hopes of racing for a title at Phoenix.
A victory would have landed Gray in the Championship 4 at the expense of Majeski, who instead claimed the last spot by 28 points over Gray.
“I got sent to the fence when I raced him perfectly clean in (turns) one and two,” Gray said. “What goes around comes around. I have to race him next year all year long (when both move up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series).
“The 19 (Eckes) was the class of the field, right? But it’s not my fault we had better strategy than he did. We came out on tires; we drove through the field and we drove to him. I raced him clean, and he drove me in the fence. I guess the only thing I could have done is wreck him like he wrecked me.”
The Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 Results
Eckes swept the first two stages, his series-best tenth and 11th of the season, and led 187 of the 200 laps. He held a substantial lead before a six-car accident in the second turn on lap 190 caused the sixth and final caution and set up a frantic finish.
For practical purposes, Gray, Sanchez, Ankrum, and Caruth entered the race in must-win situations. Ankrum finished eighth, and Caruth came home 31st after losing 21 laps in the garage as his team repaired a brake issue on his No. 71 Chevrolet.
Despite finishing third in each of the first two stages, Sanchez was 39 points out of a Championship 4 position when the race ended.
The NASCAR Truck Series Point Standings
Eckes, Heim, Majeski, and Enfinger will race for the title next Friday, November 8th at Phoenix Raceway. The season finale for the NASCAR Truck Series begins at 8 p.m. ET with coverage of the Championship 4 race on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The McAnally Hilgeman Racing driver of the No 19 Toyota, Christian Eckes won this race and the championship in 2023.