Pacing the Field Entering Indy … The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) is down to a pair of races remaining before the playoffs, and Christian Eckes is pursuing his first regular season crown. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST has a 32-point advantage in the NCTS standings entering Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) and can mathematically clinch if he ends the night with a 61-point lead. Eckes brings a streak of three-consecutive podium finishes into Indianapolis, including a third-place effort last Friday at Pocono Raceway. Last July at IRP, Eckes notched his second pole award since joining MHR and posted a second-place finish.
Short Track Threat… Eckes has run roughshod over the competition in recent short track races. Two of his three victories this season have come on short tracks at Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway and has led a combined 339 laps in the first three short track events this season. Eckes has been on a tear at short tracks dating back to IRP in 2023. In the last seven races at tracks one mile or shorter, Eckes has six podium finishes, including three wins, three poles, and led in all seven events for 533 laps. He’s become an incredible threat on short tracks over the past year and looks to earn his first IRP victory in his third start at the storied 0.686-mile oval.
Season to Date … Eckes and the No. 19 team carry a 32-point cushion atop the standings and have already banked 20 playoff points from three race victories and five stage wins. He leads all NCTS drivers with a minuscule average finish of 6.5 and has led laps in 15-consecutive races for a total of 625 laps this season. Through 14 races, Eckes has captured six podiums, eight top-five’s, and a series-high 13 top-10 results. His current point lead can be partly attributed to his 7.6 average start which has yielded 179 stage points, most among all competitors.
Tune In … On-track action from IRP begins with practice and qualifying at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, followed by the green flag at 8:30 p.m. ET. Stay connected with the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care team by following @BMR_NASCAR on Twitter, @bmrnascar on Instagram, and Bill McAnally Racing on Facebook.
Christian Eckes Quote:
On returning to IRP and winding down the regular season:
“We’re looking forward to getting back to IRP this week. Our NAPA Auto Care team has had a really good short track package this year, and so have our teammates. We had some things we wanted to improve after North Wilkesboro, but we feel pretty good about where we’re at and going back to IRP after running second last year. We have a great pit stall for Friday. So, hopefully we can get a good qualifying lap, set ourselves up with some track position and stay there for all 200 laps.”
McAnally Hilgemann Racing PR
