By Ben Deatherage
OXFORD, Iowa (Oct. 22, 2026) — What began as a season focused on gaining experience turned into a championship campaign for Jace Eckrich, who earned the 2026 Razor Chassis North Central Region Rookie of the Year award in the Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified division.
The 18-year-old Oxford, Iowa, driver also captured the track championship at 34 Raceway, while collecting five feature victories during his first full season in the division.
“We came out not really running for points at all and just concentrating on a few tracks,” Eckrich said. “We wanted to run Burlington on Saturday nights because it’s always been a fun track for us. We ended up racing twice a week with the tracks close to home, won the championship at Burlington, and won a handful of races this year. It was a ton of fun.”
Driving the Bob Harrington-owned No. 50 Performer Chassis, Eckrich recorded five victories, 18 podium finishes, 24 top fives, and 35 top-10 results in 40 feature starts across 41 events attended.
Three of his victories came at 34 Raceway, with additional wins at Lee County Speedway and West Liberty Raceway. He was particularly consistent at Burlington, finishing on the podium in 10 of his 12 appearances.
Eckrich also put together a stretch of nine consecutive top-five finishes from June 27 through July 19 and recorded 16 straight top-10 results during the summer.
His season concluded with consecutive victories Sept. 4 at 34 Raceway and Sept. 5 at West Liberty Raceway, the latter carrying special meaning for his family.
“West Liberty means a lot to my family,” Eckrich said. “I got a lot of knowledge from my dad and all my uncles.”
Eckrich comes from a family with deep roots in dirt track racing. His grandfather, Larry, competed occasionally and also fielded cars for drivers including Roger Dolan.
His father, Denny, raced Late Models from the 2000s through 2025 before stepping away to concentrate on helping his son. His uncle Doug builds Performer Chassis, while his uncle Andy is involved with Precision Performance and Racing Suspensions.
The third-generation driver gained his first experience behind the wheel in go-karts before moving into a full-sized race car in 2025.
“I raced go-karts for a little bit at a little family track that we would go to turn laps,” Eckrich recalled. “Last year was my first year dropping into a race car and won a race at the end of the year at Davenport and set us up for this year.”
Eckrich credited car owner Bob Harrington for providing the opportunity to compete.
“I want to thank Bob Harrington for giving me the opportunity to drive for him because without him, I wouldn’t be here,” Eckrich said.
Feature Wins: 5
Total Top Fives: 24
Total Starts: 41
His Pit Crew: Parents Denny and Melissa Eckrich, sister Kendra Eckrich, and Logan Dekoter
His Sponsors: Mom & Dad, Bob Harrington, Eckrich Tool, Precision Performance, Performer Chassis, CK Tool, Aupp Automotive, Murty Farms, Homestead Precision Ag, Noonan Industries, Fast City, DRM, Capital Sign, and Mike Schropp