Eckes takes dramatic Truck win at Martinsville for chance at title

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.

He was not giving up this win. @christianeckes wins and locks himself into the #Championship4! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JXBQWHiGNE

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) November 2, 2024

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.

Eckes, Heim, Majeski and Grant Enfinger will race for the title next Friday at Phoenix Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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, 1.191s 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 No. 17 (Gray) was hard racing. I feel bad about the No. 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.

After climbing from his truck, Gray walked angrily toward Eckes and expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms. 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 1 and 2,” 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 No. 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.”