With Kaulig Racing announcing that they will not be competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (now O'Reilly Auto Parts Series) in 2026 as they begin their partnership with Ram Trucks in the Craftsman Truck Series, Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes were both left without rides.
Dye ended up being named to drive one of Matt Kaulig's five Ram Trucks full-time in 2026, and set to join him are Justin Haley and Brenden Queen. One other truck does not yet have a driver, and the other is officially set to be shared by multiple drivers (exact drivers TBD) throughout the year.
But Eckes has gone in another direction. He too is set to drop back to the Truck Series, and he is set to do so with a familiar organization, but not with Kaulig Racing.
Christian Eckes reunites with his former NASCAR team
Before making his Xfinity Series debut as a full-time driver behind the wheel of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in 2025, Eckes spent seven seasons competing in the Truck Series, including four as a full-time driver. Two of those four full seasons came in 2023 and 2024 with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, and they were the best two seasons of his career.
He won four races, including the championship race, in 2023, though he only finished fifth in the standings since he did not qualify for the Championship 4. He won another four races in 2024 and only placed outside of the top 10 once, and he qualified for the Championship 4 en route to a third place finish in points.
Now he is set to reunite with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, albeit behind the wheel of the No. 91 Chevrolet rather than the No. 19 Chevrolet.
Eckes is set to join Tyler Anrkum, who is set to continue driving the No. 18 truck. Daniel Hemric, who drove the team's No. 19 truck in 2025, does not yet have his plans confirmed for 2026, and neither does Connor Mosack, who piloted the organization's No. 81 entry.
Eckes did run two Truck Series races for the team in 2025, placing 12th at Richmond Raceway and ninth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the No. 16 truck.
During his rookie Xfinity Series season, Eckes recorded six top five finishes, including top finishes of third place at Pocono Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, and nine other top 10 finishes. He missed the playoffs but ended up 13th in the standings, tops among non-playoff drivers.
Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to open up the 2026 NASCAR Truck Series season on Friday, February 13.