Christian Eckes finished each of the first two stages of Thursday’s UNOH 200 in the 10th position and went on to finish the 200-lap event in the 12th position. After initially finishing 13th, the Safelite Tundra moved up one position when the fifth-place truck was disqualified in post-race inspection.
Eckes, who entered the playoffs in the eighth position two points above the cutoff line, fell to the ninth position, two points below the cutoff line after the first of three races in the Round of 10.
Stage One Recap:
- Eckes started from the10th position after a performance matrix based off his finishing position from the previous race, ranking in owner points standings and the ranking of the fastest lap he turned from the previous race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
- In the opening laps, he advanced up to the eighth position before the field was slowed the first time for a two-truck accident on Lap 8. He restarted on the inside of the third row on Lap 13 and was scored in the seventh position on Lap 25.
- In the closing laps of the opening stage he would fall back to the 10th position and gain just one stage point.
Stage Two Recap:
- Eckes communicated to Fugle that his Toyota was “loose entry and exit,” before hitting pit road for four fresh tires, a chassis adjustment and full load of fuel.
- The Safelite Tundra would line up on the outside of the sixth row for the ensuing restart on Lap 68. When the third caution of the race occurred on Lap 82, he was scored in the 10th position, but reported that he was happy with the handling of his truck.
- Eckes remained in the 10th position when Stage Two came to completion at lap 110, earning another stage point.
Final Stage Recap:
- Eckes communicated that his Tundra “needs more overall grip,” before he hit pit road for four fresh tires, a full load of fuel and a chassis adjustment between stages.
- The Safelite Tundra lined up on the outside of the fifth row when the Final Stage went green on Lap 119. Eckes had fallen back to the 12th position when the final caution of the night occurred on Lap 156. Fugle summoned his young driver to pit road for four fresh tires, a trackbar adjustment and enough fuel to make it to the end of the event.
- The No. 18 Toyota lined up on the outside of row seven for the ensuing restart on lap 166. He would fall back to 16th early in the final green-flag run but used the fresh tires to his advantage in the closing laps of the race to bring home a 13th-place result when the field crossed the stripe. A disqualification of the fifth-place truck in post-race inspection allowed Eckes to officially be credited with a 12th-place finish.
KBM PR
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