Christian Eckes Bio
Christian Donald Eckes (pronounced “eck-iss”; born November 10, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing. Eckes is the 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion, won the prestigious Snowball Derby in 2016, and was formerly a development driver for JR Motorsports and later Toyota. Standing 180 centimeters tall and weighing 75 kilograms, he has emerged as one of the most consistent young talents in NASCAR’s third-tier national tour.
Born and raised in the small community of Greenville, New York, Eckes began his racing journey in Legends Cars at age thirteen. His family has supported his career from the start, and his steady climb through late models, the ARCA Menards Series, and the Truck Series has made him a familiar face in NASCAR’s developmental ranks. Today he is recognized as a championship-caliber driver with a résumé that already includes a major ARCA title and a Truck Series regular-season crown.
Early Life and Background
Christian Donald Eckes was born on November 10, 2000, in Middletown, New York, and grew up in nearby Greenville, New York. He is the son of George and Darlene Eckes, and he has an older sister named Erica. His upbringing in upstate New York placed him within driving distance of several short tracks where he would later hone his craft.
Eckes attended George Washington University Online High School, a flexible program that allowed him to balance his education with a demanding travel schedule. He began racing Legends Cars at thirteen years old and quickly advanced to late model stock cars and super late models. By 2015, at just fourteen years of age, he was already competing in late models for JR Motorsports and running super late models for LFR Chassis as part of their driver development program.
Path to NASCAR
Eckes made his ARCA Racing Series debut in April 2016 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, driving for Venturini Motorsports, where he finished eighth. That same year he also debuted in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at Dominion Raceway and added two more starts in the series. He closed out 2016 with three consecutive late model victories, including a memorable win in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway, where he beat John Hunter Nemechek at sixteen years old.
That breakout performance put Eckes on the national radar and led to an extended stay with Venturini Motorsports. Over the next two seasons he ran ten ARCA races in 2017 and thirteen in 2018, claiming his first ARCA victory at Salem Speedway in April 2018 and adding wins at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and Indianapolis Raceway Park. In the week after his Salem triumph, he signed with Kyle Busch Motorsports to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Iowa Speedway in June 2018, beginning his transition to NASCAR’s national ranks.
Christian Eckes Career
Early Career (2016-2018)
Eckes’s earliest national results came during a developmental period split between the ARCA Racing Series and select K&N Pro Series East events. Driving for Venturini Motorsports, he gained valuable seat time across a variety of track types. In 2016 he earned a single top-ten in four ARCA starts and used the Snowball Derby victory at Five Flags Speedway to announce himself as a rising talent.
As his role with Venturini expanded, Eckes delivered his first ARCA victory in April 2018 at Salem Speedway, holding off teammate Chandler Smith. He later added wins at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and Indianapolis Raceway Park that same year. He made his Truck Series debut with Kyle Busch Motorsports at Iowa Speedway in June 2018, led his first laps there, and won a stage at Gateway, finishing inside the top ten in three of his four starts.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2019-2022)
In 2019, Eckes ran eight Truck Series races for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the No. 51 entry, scoring three top-five finishes including a third-place run at the Homestead season finale. That effort helped the No. 51 crew secure the owners’ championship, the seventh in KBM history. He moved to the team’s No. 18 truck full-time in 2020, reaching the playoffs before being eliminated in the first round at Talladega.
Eckes joined ThorSport Racing in 2021, splitting the schedule with Grant Enfinger before taking his maiden Truck Series victory at Las Vegas during a late restart. He moved to a full-time ride in 2022 in the No. 98, finishing eighth in the standings with fifteen top-tens despite going winless.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Era (2023-Present)
On December 6, 2022, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Eckes would pilot the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado in 2023. He opened with a third-place run at Daytona, then won at Atlanta and Darlington, and added a playoff victory at Kansas with a late outside pass on Corey Heim and Zane Smith. He won again at Phoenix and closed the year fifth in points. In 2024, he claimed wins at Bristol, Martinsville, and Nashville, captured the regular-season championship, and advanced to the Championship 4 before finishing third at Phoenix behind Ty Majeski and Corey Heim.
On August 31, 2024, Kaulig Racing announced that Eckes would move to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2025 with the No. 16 Chevrolet. In 2025 he also made two Truck Series starts for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the No. 16 truck. On November 20, 2025, the team confirmed he would return to the Truck Series full-time in 2026, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet.
Driving Style and Strengths
Eckes is recognized for his short-track and intermediate-track consistency, his strong restarts, and his aggressive but calculated race craft. He pairs disciplined stage racing with a willingness to use the upper lane on late restarts, as seen in his Kansas playoff victory. His late-race composure under contact has made him a regular contender in tight championship battles.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include the 2016 Snowball Derby win at Five Flags Speedway, his 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship, his maiden Truck Series victory at Las Vegas in 2021, and his 2024 Truck Series regular-season title. His 2024 Martinsville playoff win, which included a controversial late-race exchange with Taylor Gray, remains one of the most talked-about finishes of his career.
Christian Eckes Career Wins
Christian Eckes has built a versatile résumé with victories across the ARCA Menards Series, the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He is a Snowball Derby winner, an ARCA Menards Series champion, and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular-season champion.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Eckes has multiple Truck Series victories, beginning with his maiden win at Las Vegas in 2021. He added wins at Atlanta, Darlington, and Kansas in 2023, plus a victory at Phoenix. In 2024, he captured wins at Bristol, Martinsville, and Nashville, plus a second Martinsville playoff win, on his way to the regular-season championship and a third-place finish in the final standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Truck Series, Eckes owns the 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship with four wins, thirteen top-fives, and seventeen top-tens in nineteen starts. He also won the 2016 CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year award, the 2016 Snowball Derby, the 2016 Myrtle Beach 400, and multiple ARCA races at Salem Speedway, the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Christian Eckes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Eckes was born to George and Darlene Eckes and raised in Greenville, New York. He has an older sister, Erica, and his parents have been central to his racing career from the earliest days of his Legends Car competition.
Personal Life
Outside of racing, Eckes is dating Kiley Love. He completed his high school education through George Washington University Online High School, a flexible program that allowed him to travel extensively with his racing schedule.
2025 Season Performance
Eckes’s 2025 season has been defined by his full-time transition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing in the No. 16 Chevrolet. Announced on August 31, 2024, the move represented a significant step up after three consecutive top-tier Truck Series campaigns. He has continued to develop as a road-course and intermediate-track driver in the Xfinity Series while staying connected to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing through two Truck Series starts in the No. 16 entry.
On November 20, 2025, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing confirmed that Eckes would return to the Truck Series full-time in 2026, driving the newly numbered No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado RST. The announcement locked in his long-term future with the team that has hosted his most successful national seasons. Looking ahead, Eckes enters 2026 as a defending Truck Series identity and a proven championship contender, eager to translate his experience into a race for the series title.