Out For Redemption … The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ (NCTS) first of two stops at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) is a chance at redemption for Christian Eckes. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST finished second at “Thunder Valley” in the playoff race last season after sitting on the pole and dominating with 150 laps led. The first short track race of the season is a prime opportunity for the No. 19 squad to capitalize on their prior success and collect a famous sword from the “Last Great Colosseum”.
Short Track Consistency … Through Eckes’ 94-race NCTS career, he has been a constant threat near the front of the field on short tracks. He has made 15 starts at venues shorter than one mile and has excelled at nearly every short track on the schedule. His dominant effort with two stage wins at BMS last fall highlights his NCTS short track resume, which also includes three top-five and seven top-10 results. He’s proven himself to be versatile with top-10 finishes at five different short tracks, including results of eighth or better at four of the five short tracks currently on the NCTS schedule. Eckes’ average finish of 7.33 in three BMS starts has him positioned as one of the drivers to beat in Saturday night’s showdown.
Season to Date … Eckes currently sits ninth in the NCTS drivers’ standings with two top-10 finishes and is one of only two drivers to have led laps in all three races thus far. He and the NAPA Auto Care team have displayed raw speed, resilience, and consistency throughout the opening three rounds. Eckes started the season by recording a 10th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway after rallying from a lap down. He was an assertive force at Atlanta Motor Speedway by leading 20 laps and winning Stage 1 before suffering a brake issue. Most recently at Las Vegas, Eckes’ consistent performance throughout the night resulted in a season best sixth-place finish. The No. 19 team has shown all the ingredients necessary to put together a winning performance at BMS.
Tune In … All on-track activity will take place Saturday in “Thunder Valley”, live on FOX Sports 1, beginning with practice and qualifying at 3:00 p.m. ET. NASCAR Raceday’s pre-race coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET followed by the green flag at 8:00 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 the first short track race of the season:
“We definitely have some unfinished business at Bristol from last year. We had a great truck last fall and came up just a little bit short. I definitely want to finish off what we started and execute the way we know how all night. If we can do that, we’ll have a great shot to put our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet in victory lane. We weren’t where we wanted to be in Las Vegas, but I liked the speed we had at Daytona and Atlanta to start the year. Our whole team has been hungry for this one at Bristol and we’re looking forward to the opportunity on Saturday.”
