Press Release

2019 National Truck Driving Championships Finalists Announced

Aug 16, 2019

Pittsburgh – This morning, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ and ÐÓ°É´«Ã½â€™s Safety Management Council announced finalists in nine vehicle classes at the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships, finishing today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Highly skilled professional truck drivers have spent the past three days demonstrating their precision and knowledge of the industry at the 82nd National Truck Driving Championships,†said ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Chairman Barry Pottle, president of Pottle’s Transportation. “We narrowed the field from 427 truck drivers to just 45 finalists who are now vying for the title of national champion in their driving class as well as the overall Bendix Grand Champion title. ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ and the entire trucking industry are waiting anxiously to see who will emerge today to take home top honors.â€

This year’s finalists represent 15 companies and 26 states.

Competition at the NTDCs began August 14 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with state champions from all 50 states taking the written examination – one of three scored phases of the competition. Over the past two days, competitors also tackled the difficult driving course and competed in the pre-trip inspection segments of the competition.

The NTDCs conclude today with the top five competitors in nine vehicle classes competing on the championship round driving course.

“Every driver who competed this week is a champion and a standout representative of their company and our industry,†said ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ President and CEO Chris Spear. “Now we get to see which drivers can take their performance to the next level to win trucking’s biggest prize. Our industry is excited to follow today’s action.â€

The awards ceremony will be held tonight, recognizing the Bendix Grand Champion, Rookie of the Year and top state delegation, among several other highly-respected trucking industry honors. ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ will broadcast the awards banquet via Facebook Live on the .

ÐÓ°É´«Ã½â€™s Safety Management Council is hosting this year’s National Truck Driving Championships with Premiere Sponsor .

Finalists for this year’s National Truck Driving Championships are as follows:

Class

Name

Employer

State

3-Axle

Ìý Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Paul Swan

FedEx Freight

Colorado

Ìý

Jeffrey Slaten

YRC Freight

Florida

Ìý

Ritch Fundell

FedEx Freight

Illinois

Ìý

Brian Walker

UPS Freight

North Carolina

Ìý

John Sanderson

FedEx Express

Oregon

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

4-Axle

Ìý Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Jottyn Santos

Fedex Express

Florida

Ìý

Adam Heim

FedEx Freight

Idaho

Ìý

David Rohman

FedEx Express

North Carolina

Ìý

James Plaxco

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.

Oregon

Ìý

Walter Ebinger

YRC Freight

Virginia

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

5-Axle

Ìý Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Alphonso Lewis

YRC Freight

Alabama

Ìý

Ina Daly

XPO Logistics

Arizona

Ìý

David Hall

ABF Freight

Arkansas

Ìý

Steven Johnson

XPO Logistics

North Dakota

Ìý

Bryan Krol

The Martin-Brower Company L.L.C.

Pennsylvania

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Flatbed

Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Scott Osborne

FedEx Freight

Mississippi

Ìý

Scott Fischer

Prime, Inc.

Missouri

Ìý

Eric Flick

FedEx Freight

Nevada

Ìý

Basher Pierce

FedEx Freight

North Carolina

Ìý

Robert Lilly

FedEx Freight

Virginia

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Sleeper Berth

Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Gregory Ryan

Walmart Transportation LLC

Arizona

Ìý

Luke Yoakum

Southeastern Freight Lines

Georgia

Ìý

Charles White

Walmart Transportation LLC

Indiana

Ìý

Terry Wood

Walmart Transportation LLC

Pennsylvania

Ìý

Michael Barnes

Walmart Transportation LLC

Virginia

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Straight Truck

Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Matthew Hart

FedEx Freight

Nevada

Ìý

Neil Nogues

YRC Freight

New Hampshire

Ìý

James Kohr

FedEx Express

New York

Ìý

Jason Imhoff

Walmart Transportation LLC

Ohio

Ìý

Robert Dolan

XPO Logistics

Pennsylvania

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Tank Truck

Ìý Ìý
Ìý

George Wells

Shamrock Foods Company

Arizona

Ìý

Cecil Hicks

FedEx Freight

North Carolina

Ìý

Paul Brandon

FedEx Freight

Connecticut

Ìý

Edward Pennington

FedEx Freight

Florida

Ìý

George Foster

Casey's General Stores

Iowa

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Twins

Ìý Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Mark Knight

AAA Cooper Transportation

Alabama

Ìý

David Mogler

FedEx Freight

Colorado

Ìý

Donald Lynch

United Parcel Service Inc.

Indiana

Ìý

Scott Woodrome

FedEx Freight

Ohio

Ìý

James Belcher

UPS Freight

South Carolina

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Step Van

Ìý Ìý
Ìý

Eric Damon

FedEx Express

Colorado

Ìý

Robert Ledoux

FedEx Express

Massachusetts

Ìý

Adam Stroup

FedEx Express

Nebraska

Ìý

James Sheehan

FedEx Ground

Tennessee

Ìý

Gregory Long

FedEx Express

Virginia

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÐÓ°É´«Ã½ continues to develop relationships with key industry partners looking to promote the elite, dedicated drivers who lead the trucking workforce. As such, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ thanks NTDC Corporate Sponsors AAA Cooper Transportation, ABF Freight System, Inc., FedEx, FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., PITT OHIO, PrePass Safety Alliance, UPS Freight, and Walmart Transportation LLC. ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ also recognizes Bendix as the Grand Champion award sponsor.Ìý

ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation’s freight. Follow ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ onÌýÌýorÌý.Ìý

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