After a stellar couple of seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Christian Eckes is getting bumped up a division, joining Kaulig Racing for a full-time ride in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2025.
The 23-year-old driver will get behind the wheel of the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro in all 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series events next season, beginning with the February 15 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. The contract is a multi-year deal for Eckes.
Kaulig Racing made its official announcement on Saturday in a press conference at Darlington Raceway. Eckes is the third (and presumably final) driver to be announced to the team’s lineup in 2025, joining Josh Williams and Daniel Dye, both of whom were confirmed via an announcement last weekend at Daytona.
“I’m extremely thankful and grateful for Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice and everyone involved for the opportunity to be a part of Kaulig Racing,” said Christian Eckes. “What they have been able to do as a company in just a few short years has been incredible. I’m looking forward to adding to that success in 2025 and beyond.”
Eckes is an eight-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, seven of which have come in the last two seasons while piloting the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
The Middletown, New York-native has been Corey Heim’s biggest competition since making the switch, and this year has led a series-high 833 laps, which with six races remaining ranks him inside the top-20 for a single-season all-time.
“Matt Kaulig and I have invested a lot of time thinking and planning for what the future of Kaulig Racing looks like,” said team president, Chris Rice. “We’re continuing to improve our Xfinity program, and we are making decisions to help us do that. Christian [Eckes] has proven himself in the Truck Series and we’re excited to have him take the next step in his career and be a part of our program beginning in 2025.”
For Eckes, the promotion to NASCAR’s second-tier series comes after competing in the NASCAR Truck Series for the last seven seasons, four of which have been full-time, and for many top-tier organizations like Kyle Busch Motorsports, and ThorSport Racing, as well as current team McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
“Christian [Eckes] is one of the brightest young stars in our sport,” said team owner, Matt Kaulig. “He has shown over the last two years that he is ready to take the next step and we’re looking forward to seeing him grow into the future of Kaulig Racing.”
At the moment, both Eckes and Kaulig Racing will be setting sights on winning their respective championships, as AJ Allmendinger and Shane Van Gisbergen are both locked into the Xfinity Series post-season for the organization founded by Matt Kaulig.
Additional sponsorship and personnel announcements for Eckes and the No. 16 Chevrolet team will be made at a later date.
