Eckes led the first 100 of the 200-lap race – including collecting both Stage wins – but the one-stop pit strategy his team employed left him 19th when the final stage got under way.
With 75 laps to go, Eckes had raced his way back into the top 10 but then a string of cautions for multi-truck wrecks gave him several restarts to gain track position.
He finally caught leader Ty Majeski with 27 laps to go and then held him off on a restart with three laps remaining to take the checkered flag by 0.644 seconds.
The win is the second this season for Eckes – both coming on short tracks – and the seventh of his career.
“This is something really special,” Eckes said. “It hasn’t been an easy regular season so far to say the least. We came here and we weren’t that great last year, had maybe a sixth-place truck and worked really hard on it and here we are in Victory Lane.
“I’m just super proud of this entire team. It’s pretty neat to be in Victory Lane. I can’t wait for that (grandfather) clock.”
Chase Purdy ended up third, Nick Sanchez was fourth and Tyler Ankrum rounded out the top five.
Completing the top 10 were Taylor Gray, Rajah Caruth, Sammy Smith, Kaden Honeycutt and Corey Heim.
Supercars star Cam Waters made his NASCAR start in the race. He ran well through the first two stages – running as high as 12th – but got caught up in a pair of late-race accidents and ended up 30th.
The 29-year-old Aussie is scheduled to drive ThorSport Racing’s No. 66 Ford again at Kansas Speedway next month.
Stage 1
Eckes grabbed the lead at the start and led all 50 laps on his way to a Stage 1 win by 1.448 seconds over Majeski. Layne Riggs was third, Heim fourth and Sanchez rounded out the top five.
Stage 2
Eckes claimed the Stage 2 win under caution when Daniel Dye spun Spencer Boyd in the final laps in an incident that also collected Riggs. Ankrum was second and Purdy third.
Stage 3
Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, several lead lap trucks pit – including Eckes who led the first 100 laps. Majeski stayed out and inherited the lead while Eckes was first off pit road.
Majeski led Taylor Gray and William Sawalich on the restart with 91 laps remaining in the race. Eckes lined up 19th.
With 75 laps to go, Eckes had driven back up in the top 10 and was challenging for ninth as Majeski maintained a solid lead over Taylor Gray.
Honeycutt spun around off Turn 2 and down the backstretch on lap 134 which…
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