MADISON, Ill. – Christian Eckes started from the pole, led almost all of the laps and survived three green-white-checkered overtimes to win World Wide Technology Raceway’s eLeague CK Power 125 presented by Raceway Gives on Friday.
Eckes, a NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series racer for Kyle Busch Motorsports, only relinquished the lead when he pitted. Landon Huffman finished second and Quebec’s Raphael Lessard was third for a one-two-three NASCAR finish.
“I honestly thought Landon was going to beat me there at the end,” said Eckes. “He was ‘way faster but the cautions kept coming and everything kinda aligned for me to hold him off. Overall it was a great race. I think we all but led a couple laps. It was a fun race.
“It (Truck) was definitely pretty free (into the corners). That’s kinda why I thought I was really good, later in the runs,” Eckes added. “Landon was really good on the short runs and was able to run me down every time we’d get going, but thankfully a caution (flag) would come out and kinda saved me. I’d get a good restart and eventually bring home the win. Landon definitely kept me on my toes.”
Austin Blair was the highest-finishing local driver. Blair, a USAC Silver Crown Series driver and FAA-certified drone pilot, ran as high as fifth place during the race and eventually finished sixth.
James Davison was the highest-finishing IndyCar Series driver (fifth) and NHRA’s Ron Capps was 25th across the finish line.
The finish:
Christian Eckes, Landon Huffman, Raphael Lessard, Victor Del Porto, James Davison, Austin Blair, Kole Raz, Brett Moffitt, Gerald Campbell, Josh Weinrich, Thomas Sherman, Travis Braden, Richard Hinds, Robert Krug, Scott McLendon, Chad Frankenfield, Conor Daly, Bryant Barnhill, Josh Bilicki, Austin Hill, R.C. Enerson, Santino Ferrucci, Josh Williams, Spencer Boyd, Ron Capps, Ed Carpenter, Jason White, Will Davison, Tate Lightle, Chuck Sweeting, Scott Andrews, Matt Smith, Max McLaughlin, Ethyn Reasoner, Jon Capps, Daniel Dye, Derek Nichol, Michael Goodman.