Eckes Eyes Capturing NASCAR Truck Series Title at Phoenix

By Kirby Arnold, Special Contributor

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Christian Eckes has been here before, victory lane in a championship race at Phoenix Raceway. But then, he hasn’t. 

The 23-year-old won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series final race last year on the one-mile oval, but he wasn’t among the four drivers running for the championship. Sweet as it was to win and finish fifth in the standings, he has one focus Friday night when he straps into his McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet Silverado. 

Claim the championship. 

“We’ve turned it into a championship organization,” Eckes said. “When I first came to McAnally Hilgemann Racing (in 2023) I said my bar is a championship. I finally have a chance to achieve that. That’s our No. 1 priority.” 

To achieve it, he must finish ahead of the three other championship contenders – Grand Enfinger, Ty Majeski and Corey Heim. Winning isn’t imperative but it’s important, Eckes said. 

“It’s dangerous to look at it from the perspective that I only have to beat the other three guys,” he said. “I have more of a mentality to win the race.” 

Whatever the result, the race will be an emotional finish to Eckes’ two years with McAnally Hilgemann Racing. He will move to a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride next year in the Kaulig Racing No. 16 Chevrolet. 

Eckes said the McAnally Hilgemann team, especially owner Bill McAnally and crew chief Charles Denike, revived his career. He joined the team last year after racing the truck series with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020 and ThorSport Racing in 2021 and 2022. 

“I’ll remember this as the best two years of my life so far,” he said. “It has changed my whole perspective on racing. I look back to 2020, at the end of the year I was kind of (finished with) racing. I kind of wanted to do something else with my life. Now I’m at a spot where I really love coming to the race track every weekend.

“I give a lot of credit to Charles, to Bill, to everybody on this team. They gave me the mentality of having fun again, of coming to win. I’ll be forever grateful to everybody for kind of revitalizing my career. It hasn’t been easy but I definitely cherish every single moment.” 

The season didn’t start like a championship run, with mechanical problems hampering the team. 

“Four of the first five races we had some sort of mechanical issue,” Eckes said. “It’s easy to get down. But our team got together and had one of the most consistent years in the truck series.  This is a very tight-knit group we have. I have lots of faith in them.” 

Eager as he is for the next step in his career, Eckes feels emotions for his final drive with McAnally Hilgemann. 

“They’re the closest guys you’re around for two years, and now you’re leaving,” he said. “I’ve learned so much as far as being a leader, learning how to win.  I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve the last two years and hopefully we can finish it off.”