Christian Eckes put on a commanding performance at Martinsville Speedway, leading 104 of the 200 laps to win Friday night’s Long John Silver’s 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. The victory was Eckes’ second of the 2024 season after also winning at Bristol last month.

The 22-year-old driver started second but quickly took the lead on the first lap and never looked back. Eckes swept both stages and overcame having to pit under green for his only stop of the race, expertly working his way back up through the field.

Despite 11 cautions for 81 laps, Eckes was able to stay in front when it mattered most after regaining the lead for the final time on lap 172. He held off pole-sitter Ty Majeski, who leaves Martinsville with the series points lead, for his first career victory at the half-mile paperclip oval.

“Something really special,” said Eckes about the impressive performance from his No. 19 McAnally Hilgemann Racing team. “We worked really hard on it, and here we are in Victory Lane. So just super proud of this entire team.”

Majeski felt his truck was just a tick off Eckes’ pace but was still pleased with a runner-up finish that gives him a seven-point advantage over Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum. Chase Purdy, Nick Sanchez, and Ankrum rounded out the top five.

In his NASCAR debut, Australian Supercars star Cam Waters looked to be having a promising run until getting caught up in a multi-truck incident on lap 177 that ended his night in 30th position.

With his second win already, Eckes has emerged as an early title favorite as the Truck Series heads next to Kansas Speedway on May 5th.