Race Weekend Central

Tracking The Trucks: Inside Winless Wonder Matt Crafton’s Championship Season

2019 Phoenix NGOTS Matt Crafton Truck NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In a Nutshell: Austin Hill placed the perfect bookend on his 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series season by cruising to victory in the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale. His Ford 200 trophy earned Friday night (Nov. 15) matched up perfectly with a victory in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Unfortunately for Hill, though, …

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Austin Hill Wins Ford EcoBoost 200; Matt Crafton Claims 3rd Truck Championship

2019 Homestead NGOTS Matt Crafton Burnout CCK

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

Hattori Racing Enterprises’ Austin Hill took advantage of slightly fresher tires on the final run of the race to run down Matt Crafton and take the lead with 23 laps to go.  From there, Hill opened up a gap and held on to take his fourth win of 2019.  However, Crafton kept Hill in sight …

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Christian Eckes, Raphael Lessard to Compete Full Time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020

Christian Eckes - 2018 ARCA Menards Series at Gateway

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Busch Motorsports has tabbed a pair of teenagers for its NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series lineup in 2020. 18-year-old Raphael Lessard and 19-year-old Christian Eckes will each pilot full-time entries for KBM, the team announced Nov. 14. Both will compete for rookie of the year honors. Eckes, the 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion, will …

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Reviewing the 2019 ARCA Season

2019 Gateway ARCA Racing Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The 2019 ARCA Menards Series season has come to an end, and Christian Eckes became the 36th different champion in its 67th season. The season saw seven different drivers capture victories over the 20 races. Venturini Motorsports won the owners’ championship, and the organization won 14 races this season. Eckes and teammate Michael Self finished …

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Christian Eckes wins NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 Pole at Martinsville

2019 Pocono NGOTS Christian Eckes Truck Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Christian Eckes has won the pole for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series’ NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway. It’s his third pole this season in seven starts. The driver of the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra shot to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 95.424 mph, followed …

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Christian Eckes, Todd Gilliland Top Martinsville Truck Practices

2019 Las Vegas NGOTS Christian Eckes Pole Winner NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Christian Eckes and Todd Gilliland led the pair of NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series practice sessions on Friday (Oct. 25) for the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Eckes and the No. 51 KBM team snuck to the top of the leaderboard in the closing seconds of the first …

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Pace Laps: As The Keselowski Crumbles

(Photo: NKP)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: As The Keselowski Crumbles Brad Keselowski is the driving force upon which Team Penske’s NASCAR team is built. He’s the one who strongly suggested Joey Logano as a future teammate while earning his first and only Cup championship in 2012. His unique voice and Twitter presence showcases a passion for …

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ARCA Racing Series Breakdown: 2019 Kansas 150

2019 Kansas ARCA Christian Eckes Racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In a Nutshell: The battle between Venturini Motorsports teammates Michael Self and Christian Eckes was the entirety of the story Friday night at Kansas Speedway, and at the end of a largely uneventful 100 laps it was Eckes that left with the trophy, leading the final 43 laps to his fourth win of the 2019 …

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Christian Eckes Beats Michael Self on Restart to Win ARCA Kansas 150, Season Championship

2019 Kansas ARCA Christian Eckes ARCA Menards Series Champions

(Photo: ARCA Menards Series)

The task at hand was simple for Christian Eckes — beat Michael Self. On the final restart on lap 58 of the ARCA Kansas 150, that is exactly what Eckes did as he and Self battled side-by-side through turns 1 and 2 and down the backstretch before the 18-year-old Eckes prevailed and drove his way …

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ARCA Preview: 2019 ARCA Kansas 150

2019 Chicagoland ARCA Restart Cars Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The ARCA Menards Series wraps up its season with the 2019 ARCA Kansas 150 at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 18. It is the 19th race for the series at the 1.5-mile track in Kansas City, Kan., and it will host the season finale next year too. Entering the final race, Christian Eckes leads Michael Self …

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ARCA Racing Series Breakdown: 2019 Herr’s Potato Chips 200 at IRP

2019 Iowa I GOTS Chandler Smith helmet NKP

After losing a seemingly certain win at Salem Speedway earlier this season after pitting just before rain ended the spring race early, Chandler Smith didn’t make the same mistake twice. Racing hard with his championship-contending teammate Christian Eckes, Smith made a clean pass on the backstretch on lap 161, mere laps before rain ended the …

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Pace Laps: Lady Luck Takes Over at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

2019 Las Vegas NGOTS Ross Chastain Racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Truex Keeps On Trucking Martin Truex Jr. had been lost in the shuffle of title contenders as NASCAR descended upon the gambling capital of North America. Las Vegas Motor Speedway seemed a better fit instead for Team Penske’s two stars, Brad Keselowski and reigning Cup champion Joey Logano. They were …

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