NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview
Event: Eaton 200, Race 10 of 23, 160 Laps –35/35/90; 200 Miles
Location: Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. (1.25-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 23, 2018 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90
What You Need to Know
- Christian Eckes will make his second of four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) starts this season for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) driving the No. 46 Mobil 1 Tundra Saturday in the Eaton 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. Eckes started ninth, led four laps and finished eighth in a successful Truck Series debut last weekend at Iowa Speedway in Newton.
- Eckes picked up his first career ARCA Racing Series victory at Salem (Ind.) Speedway Apr. 22 after leading 72 laps of the 200-lap event, including the final 52 circuits. He has an average finish of 10.2 across his four ARCA starts in 2018. The 17-year-old driver will be pulling double duty this weekend at Gateway, driving the No. 15 Camry for Venturini Motorsports Friday night before competing in the Truck Series event for KBM Saturday.
- The Middletown, N.Y., native put his name on the motorsports map when he won the prestigious Snowball Derby Super Late Model race at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., in December of 2016. The then 15-year-old battled side-by-side with John Hunter Nemechek for the final two laps before narrowly edging him to the finish line.
- Cody Glick, who oversees KBM’s Super Late Model program, will serve as Eckes’ crew chief for his four-race schedule. Glick picked up his first career Truck Series victory when he called the shots for Kyle Busch’s win from the pole at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway last year. The No. 46 team has finished inside the top ten in each of its two starts this season; eighth last weekend with Eckes and a third-place finish with Brandon Jones at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
- Mobil 1™ – the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand– will be the primary sponsor for Eckes this weekend and will also adorn the hood of his No. 46 Tundra at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., Nov. 9. Eckes’ sponsor for his race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Oct. 27 will be named at a later date.
Christian Eckes, Driver Q&A
How did your Truck Series debut go last weekend compared to what you expected?
“It’s a lot different. It’s kind of a big step for me because there are so many variables when you go to the Truck Series – aerodynamics and stuff like that. It’s a lot of fun though and I’m really looking forward to going to Gateway this weekend with my No. 46 Mobil 1 Tundra.
Do you have any experience racing on flat tracks like Gateway?
“I’ve been to a couple race tracks like that, but none that are really that big. Luckily, I’ll be able to test the ARCA car Thursday and race it Friday, so I’ll have some experience for Saturday’s race.”
How beneficial will the extra laps you’ll be getting in the ARCA car be as you prepare for Saturday’s Truck Series race?
“It’ll be really beneficial. To have that opportunity to test and race before the truck race provides a lot of extra experience for me and I’m thankful that I’m able to run my JBL Camry and my Mobil 1 Tundra.”
Christian Eckes Career Highlights
- Has produced one win, 74 laps led, one top-five and two top-10 finishes across four ARCA Racing Series starts in 2018.
- In 18 career ARCA Racing starts since 2016 has produced one win, five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
- In 2017, collected four top-five and nine top-10 finishes across 10 ARCA events and four top-five and five top-10 finishes in six CARS Super Late Model Tour starts.
- In 2016, recorded one top-10 result in four ARCA starts and two top-10 finishes across three K&N Pro Series East starts.
Christian Eckes’ No. 46 Mobil 1 Tundra:
KBM-024: The No. 46 Mobil 1 team will race KBM-024 for Saturday’s Eaton 200 at Gateway. The Tundra finished fifth in its most recent outing with Noah Gragson at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in March. The Toyota has won three times across 11 careers starts, most recently with Christopher Bell at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last September.
