'Refuse to lose': Christian Eckes bumps Taylor Gray out of way to win Martinsville
Today at 09:15 PM
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — When there is a Championship 4 spot on the line, tempers are bounds to flare at Martinsville Speedway. It happens time and again, and Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series is the latest example.
Christian Eckes dominated from pole position, sweeping the first two stages. But when a caution flew with 19 laps remaining involving Tricon Garage teammates Dean Thompson and Tanner Gray, it put the No. 19 Chevrolet in a precarious position.
Less than 15 laps earlier, Taylor Gray pitted during another caution for four fresh tires. The No. 17 Toyota soared through the field, racing to second position, nearly a straightaway behind Eckes. Another caution flew with 10 laps remaining, bunching the field together.
Gray committed to racing Eckes clean for the win, choosing the outside of the front row for the restart with five laps remaining. Gray passed Eckes clean on the restart, though the No. 19 Chevrolet used the No. 17 truck as brakes entering Turn 3 and moved him up the track.
Eckes held on to secure his fourth triumph of the season while Gray finished fourth, missing the Championship 4.
“Charles Denike (crew chief of the No. 19 truck) and these guys race way too hard for us to lose a race, regardless of the circumstances,” Eckes said post race. “I had to race harder than I would have liked to, but I didn‘t want to lose that race.”
Following the checkered flag, Gray chased Eckes down and moved him up the track in Turns 3 and 4. After climbing out of his No. 17 truck, Gray marched up pit road, walked over a staircase onto the frontstretch and confronted Eckes. NASCAR officials were in between the two drivers.
Taylor Gray is NOT happy with Christian Eckes in Martinsville. pic.twitter.com/q9erNdaK4O
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) November 2, 2024
Gray returned to his truck after showing his displeasure to take in what happened.
“I expected him to move me, I didn‘t expect him to ship me to the fence,” Gray stated. “Especially whenever I raced him like I did in [Turns] 1 and 2. I raced him the cleanest. Let‘s be fair, he was a truck in his own league. I came down to take tires; Jeff Hensley (crew chief of the No. 17 truck) made a great strategy call, way fresher tires and yarded him, raced him super clean and he ships me into the fence in 1 and 2.
“He races like that with everybody. He does that all year long, he‘s done it to everybody, he races Corey [Heim] like that, he races everybody like that. Nobody cares because he‘s won four races now. Martinsville, people are going to move you out of the way but don‘t ship me to the fence whenever I raced you like that [in Turns 1 and 2]. Also, he has so much more to lose than I do. I‘m racing to win to lock in; he‘s locked in and won both stages.”
By adding on to his series-high stage wins and scoring 20 points, Eckes just needed to finish the race to clinch a spot into the Championship 4 next weekend at Phoenix Raceway. But he wanted to cap off a dominant performance, leading 187 of 200 laps, not thinking of what the repercussions could be while vying for his first NASCAR championship.
Repost to congratulate Christian Eckes on his NASCAR Truck Series WIN at Martinsville! He will race for a championship next weekend. #NASCARPlayoffspic.twitter.com/C3eIQ26YE0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) November 2, 2024
“It‘s a product of this race track,” Eckes stated. “We had a straightaway lead before that caution came out and then those new tires getting that close put us in a bad position. Refuse to lose.
“Bill McAnally hired me to win races. That‘s what we‘re here to do — and championships. It‘s definitely a risk to race like that, but at the same time, I felt like our truck was good enough and our guys deserve to win this week.”
Gray doesn’t intend on playing a factor in the championship race, though his Tricon teammate Heim is one of the four drivers that advanced. He doesn’t want to “make myself look like an idiot.”
