After heartbreak at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year, Christian Eckes takes an all-or-nothing mentality into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs this season.
A disappointing 20th-place finish at the South Florida track knocked Eckes out of the Playoffs by a mere four points.
Eckes went on to win the Championship 4 race at Phoenix two weeks later—but without Championship eligibility.
This year, Eckes won’t be satisfied with anything less than a title.
“Based off of last year, I feel like it is championship or bust,” Eckes told reporters on Tuesday during a media day Zoom call. “I think everything we’ve done this year in preparation has kind of led toward that being the mentality.”
A model of consistency, Eckes has posted three victories and 15 top 10s in 16 races this season. He already has identified a hurdle to cross on the way to Phoenix.
“Not choke in the Round of 8—is that a fair assessment?” Eckes said with a laugh. “I’ve done that the last two years. Just execution—that’s the biggest thing.”
Source: Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service
