ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
American Trucking Associations announced finalists of the 2017
National Truck Driving Championships and prepared for the final
round of the 80th annual competition.
"With all these great competitors showing off their knowledge
and skills in the trucking industry, we are now down to forty-six
drivers who have set themselves apart over the last two days,"
said ATA President and CEO Chris
Spear. "We thank everyone who came out to compete and
support the National Truck Driving Championships and commend your
efforts throughout this year. We look forward to seeing how the
field of finalists finish off the weekend and are excited to see
who emerges as the 2017 National Truck Driving Championships Bendix
Grand Champion."
Competition at the National Truck Driving Championships began
August 9 at the Orange County Convention Center in
Orlando, Florida. More than 420 of
the nation's best truck drivers qualified for the opening round of
competition after winning their individual vehicle classes at the
state level and maintaining accident-free driving throughout the
year.
Professional truck drivers are competing in eight classes of
truck and one step van class. After going through a series of tests
on their knowledge of trucking facts, rules, statistics and safety
protocols, drivers looked for defects as part of their pre-trip
inspection, and completed a difficult driving course. The top
five drivers from each class moved on to the final round of the
competition, with one exception: six finalists emerged in the
four-axle class.
The final round takes place this morning and the finalists are
competing for the title of National Champion in eight different
classes. One National Champion will
also take home the prestigious overall title of 2017 National Truck
Driving Championships Bendix Grand Champion.
The awards ceremony will be held after the final event,
recognizing the Bendix Grand Champion, Rookie of the Year and top
state delegation, among several other highly-respected trucking
industry honors.
ATA's Safety Management Council is hosting this year's National
Truck Driving Championships with Premiere Sponsor ACT 1.
Finalists for this year's National Truck Driving Championships
are as follows:
Step
Van
|
|
|
|
Bartholomew
Masciulli
|
FedEx
Express
|
Levittown
|
Pennsylvania
|
Ceth
Christensen
|
UPS
|
Manhattan
|
Illinois
|
Jason
Imhoff
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Ashland
|
Ohio
|
Kailen
Bronson
|
FedEx
Ground
|
Milwaukie
|
Oregon
|
Michael
Bills
|
FedEx
Express
|
Fuquay
Varina
|
North
Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
Straight
Truck
|
|
|
David Hawk
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Gardendale
|
Alabama
|
Dale
Brenaman
|
UPS
|
Stamping
Ground
|
Kentucky
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
Bailey
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Macomb
|
Michigan
|
Christopher
Shaw
|
FedEx
Express
|
Albuquerque
|
New Mexico
|
Brent
Glasenapp
|
FedEx
Express
|
Franklin
|
Wisconsin
|
|
|
|
|
3-Axle
|
|
|
|
Sam Wilson
|
XPO
Logistics
|
Grand
Island
|
Nebraska
|
David
Murphy
|
YRC
Freight
|
Meridian
|
Idaho
|
Glen Kirk
|
Old Dominion Freight
Line
|
Franklin
|
Indiana
|
Walter
McGuire
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
LaGrange
|
Georgia
|
David
Rohman
|
FedEx
Express
|
Charlotte
|
North
Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
4-Axle
|
|
|
|
James
Duffy
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Marshall
|
Wisconsin
|
Bruce
Quaal
|
YRC
Freight
|
Farmington
|
Minnesota
|
Darrell
Shelton
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Richland
|
Washington
|
Daniel
Shamrell
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Portland
|
Oregon
|
Steven
Ward
|
FedEx
Express
|
Woodruff
|
South
Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
Tony
Archambault
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Jefferson
|
Maine
|
|
|
|
|
5-Axle
|
|
|
|
Artur
Lesniowski
|
FedEx
Ground
|
Hasbrouck
Heights
|
New Jersey
|
|
|
|
|
Jose
Orozco
|
XPO
Logistics
|
Tucson
|
Arizona
|
Michael
Miltenberger
|
PITT OHIO
|
Cumberland
|
Maryland
|
Nicholas
Jones
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Troutdale
|
Oregon
|
Tom
Hopkins
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
North
Platte
|
Nebraska
|
|
|
|
Flatbed
|
|
|
Edward
Mikan
|
UPS
|
Romeoville
|
Illinois
|
Dennis
Shirar
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Indianapolis
|
Indiana
|
Donald
Logan
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Eskridge
|
Kansas
|
Wayne
Crowder
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Louisville
|
Kentucky
|
Brian
Walker
|
UPS
Freight
|
Randleman
|
North
Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
Tank
Truck
|
|
|
Gerald
Wrinkle
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Hopkinsville
|
Kentucky
|
Scott
Woodrome
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Middletown
|
Ohio
|
Anthony
Spero
|
ABF Freight
System
|
Stratford
|
Connecticut
|
Daniel
Bartelson
|
XPO
Logistics
|
West Fargo
|
North
Dakota
|
Thomas
Garner
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Hartselle
|
Alabama
|
|
|
|
|
Twins
|
|
|
|
Esteban
Perez
|
AAA Cooper
Transportation
|
Weslaco
|
Texas
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Flippin
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Lamar
|
Colorado
|
Chris
Poynor
|
XPO
Logistics
|
Richland
|
Washington
|
Marcus
Byrd
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Florence
|
Mississippi
|
Jeffrey
Rose
|
YRC
Freight
|
Creston
|
Ohio
|
|
|
|
Sleeper
Berth
|
|
|
Brian Hall
|
Old Dominion Freight
Line
|
Morristown
|
Tennessee
|
Gary Mars
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Fayetteville
|
Arkansas
|
Heladio
Fernandez
|
FedEx
Freight
|
Portland
|
Oregon
|
Rick
Pledger
|
Walmart
Transportation
|
Denison
|
Texas
|
Roland
Bolduc
|
FedEx
Express
|
East
Longmeadow
|
Massachusetts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
American Trucking Associations 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, ATA is the voice of the
industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight.
Follow ATA on Twitter or
on Facebook. Trucking Moves America
Forward.
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SOURCE American Trucking Associations