Christian Donald Eckes (pronounced "eck-iss"; born November 10, 2000) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competes full-time in theNASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 16Chevrolet SS forKaulig Racing, and part-time in theARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 19Chevrolet forBill McAnally Racing. Eckes is the2019 ARCA Menards Series champion, won theSnowball Derby in 2016, and was formerly adevelopment driver forJR Motorsports and laterToyota.
Eckes grew up inGreenville, New York. He began racingLegends Cars at thirteen years old and later moved up to racinglate model stock cars andsuper late models.[2] In 2015, Eckes began racinglate models forJR Motorsports, as well assuper late models for LFR Chassis as one of theirdriver development program drivers.[3][4] He made his ARCA Racing Series debut at theNashville Fairgrounds Speedway in April 2016, driving forVenturini Motorsports.[5] He finished eighth, the only top-ten in four ARCA races that year.[6] Eckes also made hisNASCARK&N Pro Series East debut atDominion Raceway and ran two further events in the series that year.[7][8] Eckes capped off his season by winning three races in a row, including a triumph in theSnowball Derby held atFive Flags Speedway where he beatJohn Hunter Nemechek.[9][10] Although some reports pegged him as the youngest winner, those reports were erroneous, asChase Elliott won the event in 2011 at age fifteen while Eckes was sixteen when he triumphed.[11]
Eckes and Venturini remained together for the following two seasons, partaking in ten races of the ARCA Racing Series during2017 and 13 theyear after.[12][13] He triumphed for the first time atSalem Speedway in April 2018, keeping teammateChandler Smith at bay over the closing portion of the event to secure the victory.[14] He followed up with wins atIllinois State Fairgrounds andIndianapolis Raceway Park during the year, making him the driver with the second-most wins that season despite missing seven races.
In the week following the win at Salem, Eckes landed a deal withNASCAR Camping World Truck Series teamKyle Busch Motorsports to drive the team's No. 46 entry in four races in the2018 season, starting atIowa Speedway in June.[15] He led his first laps in the series at Iowa and took his first stage win during stage 2 at the following race inGateway, though he later crashed out of the contest. In total, Eckes's first four starts in the Truck Series included 38 laps led and three finishes inside the top ten.[16]
In 2019, Eckes embarked on a full-time campaign in the newly renamedARCA Menards Series in the No. 15 Venturini car.[17] Despite missing theSalem race in April due to an esophageal tear in histrachea, he went on to win the championship with four wins, 13 top fives, and 17 top tens in 19 starts.[18] Eckes was the first ARCA champion to not run every race sinceTim Steele in 1997.[19] During the same year, Eckes also ran eight races in theTruck Series with KBM's No. 51 truck.[20] Thanks to his three top five finishes, including a decisive third place at theHomestead season finale, Eckes helped the No. 51 crew towards the owners' championship, which was the seventh for the KBM team overall.[21]
The following year, Eckes joined the team's No. 18 truck for the entirety of the2020 season.[22] After five results inside the top five, including runner-up finishes atTexas,Kansas, andMichigan, Eckes made theNASCAR playoffs. However, he was eliminated after the first round, retiring in a last-lap pileup at theTalladega cut-off race.[23] Eckes notably had a verbal and physical altercation withBen Rhodes, who had spun him out on purpose at the fallTexas race.[24] He finished with a winless season and an eighth-place finish in the standings.
In2021, Eckes moved toThorSport Racing after being replaced at KBM byChandler Smith.[25] He entered 10 races of the 22-race season, sharing the schedule withGrant Enfinger.[26] Eckes managed to finish inside the top five on five occasions and would take his maiden win in the Truck Series atLas Vegas, bestingTodd Gilliland during a late restart and being saved from an attack by Ben Rhodes by a caution that ended the race.[27]
Eckes progressed to a full-time schedule in2022, driving the No. 98 after Enfinger moved back toGMS Racing.[28] Though he did not win any races that year, Eckes finished eighth in the standings, scoring 15 top tens.[29]
On December 6, 2022,McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Eckes would pilot the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado in2023, replacingDerek Kraus. Eckes started the season with a third-place finish atDaytona, before going on to win atAtlanta andDarlington — where he triumphed dominantly following five races with either a 15th place or a DNF — during the regular season.[30][31] The first round of the playoffs turned out to be commanding, as Eckes finished second and third atIRP andMilwaukee respectively before making an outside pass onCorey Heim andZane Smith after a late restart to win atKansas.[32] However, Heim would get his revenge atBristol by passing a dominant Eckes with five laps to go; Eckes would finish second.[33] Eckes was eliminated at the conclusion of the Round of 8 atHomestead, having finished 20th.[34] He won two weeks later atPhoenix and finished fifth in the final points standings.[35]
Eckes started the2024 season with a 10th-place finish atDaytona. Throughout the season, he won atBristol,Martinsville, andNashville, and claimed the regular season championship.[36][37][38][39] During the playoffs, Eckes won atMartinsville to make the Championship 4, albeit with controversy: though Eckes had dominated the race, winning both stages, a late caution allowedTaylor Gray to pass him during the subsequent restart.[40] Eckes moved Gray up the racetrack aggressively and made a similar move to prevent Ben Rhodes from winning moments later, causing Gray to confront Eckes after the finish.[41] The following week, Eckes finished third atPhoenix to claim third in the standings, being beaten by Heim and eventual championTy Majeski who had dominated the event.[42]
On August 31, 2024, it was announced that Eckes will move up to theNASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in2025, driving the No. 16Chevrolet forKaulig Racing.[43]
Eckes was born on November 10, 2000, to George and Darlene Eckes. He has an older sister, Erica. Eckes attendedGeorge Washington University Online High School.[2]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCAR Xfinity 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 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2025 | Kaulig Racing | 16 | Chevy | DAY 12 | ATL 29 | COA 5 | PHO 8 | LVS 13 | HOM 38 | MAR | DAR | BRI | CAR | TAL | TEX | CLT | NSH | MXC | POC | ATL | CSC | SON | DOV | IND | IOW | GLN | DAY | PIR | GTW | BRI | KAN | ROV | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | -* | -* | [44] | ||
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck 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 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Kyle Busch Motorsports | 46 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | MAR | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | IOW 8 | GTW 28 | CHI | KEN | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | LVS | TAL | MAR 9 | TEX | PHO 9 | HOM | 35th | 110 | [45] | |||||||||||||||
| 2019 | 51 | DAY 22 | ATL | LVS | MAR | TEX | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW 14* | CHI | KEN | POC 4 | ELD 6 | MCH 15 | BRI | MSP | LVS 3 | TAL | MAR 17 | PHO | HOM 3 | 20th | 271 | [46] | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 18 | DAY 22 | LVS 23 | CLT 14 | ATL 3 | HOM 8 | POC 33 | KEN 6 | TEX 2 | KAN 13 | KAN 2 | MCH 2 | DRC 12 | DOV 11 | GTW 32 | DAR 5 | RCH 18 | BRI 12 | LVS 8 | TAL 18 | KAN 6 | TEX 25 | MAR 4 | PHO 4 | 8th | 2238 | [47] | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | ThorSport Racing | 98 | Toyota | DAY | DRC 10 | LVS 9 | ATL | BRD | RCH | KAN 4 | DAR | COA 35 | CLT 11 | TEX | NSH | POC 12 | KNX | GLN 13 | GTW 31 | DAR | BRI | LVS 1 | TAL | MAR | PHO 6 | 21st | 263 | [48] | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | DAY 3 | LVS 28 | ATL 16 | COA 6 | MAR 12 | BRD 5 | DAR 17 | KAN 5 | TEX 2 | CLT 4 | GTW 2 | SON 35 | KNX 12 | NSH 6 | MOH 5 | POC 8 | IRP 16 | RCH 8 | KAN 10 | BRI 8 | TAL 5* | HOM 7 | PHO 30 | 8th | 2230 | [49] | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | 19 | Chevy | DAY 3* | LVS 6 | ATL 1 | COA 30 | TEX 15 | BRD 30 | MAR 15 | KAN 30 | DAR 1* | NWS 25 | CLT 6 | GTW 2 | NSH 23 | MOH 3 | POC 7 | RCH 11 | IRP 2 | MLW 3 | KAN 1 | BRI 2* | TAL 19 | HOM 20 | PHO 1 | 5th | 2319 | [50] | |||||||||||||||
| 2024 | DAY 10 | ATL 32 | LVS 6 | BRI 1* | COA 8 | MAR 1* | TEX 4 | KAN 3 | DAR 4 | NWS 6 | CLT 10 | GTW 2 | NSH 1** | POC 3 | IRP 2* | RCH 2 | MLW 3* | BRI 4 | KAN 3 | TAL 6 | HOM 9 | MAR 1* | PHO 3 | 3rd | 4034 | [51] | ||||||||||||||||||
* Season still in progress
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 | [52] |
(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 | [53] | ||||||||||||
| 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 | [54] | |||
| 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 | [55] | |||
| 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 | [56] | |||
| † – Qualified for the 2019Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 but was replaced byHarrison Burton due to illness | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ARCA Menards Series West results | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref | |||
| 2025 | Bill McAnally Racing | 19 | Chevy | KER | PHO | TUC | CNS | KER | SON | TRI | PIR | AAS | MAD | LVS | PHO | -* | -* | ||||
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Snowball Derby Winner 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | ARCA Menards Series Champion 2019 | Succeeded by |
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