2012 National Truck Driving Championship and National Step Van Driving Championship Finalists Announced

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The finalists for the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships were announced early this morning after a three day competition that tested driver's knowledge of safety, equipment, the industry and driving skills. Considered the "Super Bowl of Safety," the competition is in the midst of a drive-off.   425 competitors traveled to Minneapolis to represent their home states.

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The top five drivers in each of the nine competing categories will now run a specially designed obstacle course that will be unveiled this morning to determine the top driver. At the end of the day, the best driver from all nine categories will be named, with one driver named the 2012 Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion Award.

*Note: High-Resolution photos will be available of winners

2012 National Truck Driving Championship Finalists

Straight Truck Class

Robert Dolan, Con-way Freight, Pennsylvania
Wayne Gootee, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Michigan
Doug Rickel, FedEx Express, Alaska
Michael Scripko, Con-way Freight, New Jersey
Scott Ward, Con-way Freight, Alabama

3-Axle Class

Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express, Massachusetts
Michael Britt, UPS Freight, Georgia
Joseph Hicks, Con-way Freight, Rhode Island
Wayne McClellan, Con-way Freight, New Hampshire
Gerald Thompson, Con-way Freight, New York

4-Axle Class

Tim Hodges, UPS Freight, West Virginia
Kevin Miskiewicz, YRC Freight, Pennsylvania
Christopher Outen, FedEx Freight, Oregon
Norman Penn, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Kentucky
Scott Stroup, YRC Freight, Nebraska

5-Axle Class

Richard Camarda, ABF Freight System, Inc., California
Michael Grogan, Con-way Freight, Idaho
Gary Herrygers, The Boeing Company, Washington
Michael Lutz, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Oregon
Steven Tribe, Nicholas & Company, Utah

Flatbed Class

Steven Berwald, US Foods, Minnesota
Kevin Duran, Hannaford Trucking Company, Maine
Kenneth Grimmett, Con-way Freight, West Virginia
Donald Logan, FedEx Freight, Kansas
Ray Shelton, FedEx Freight, South Carolina

Tank Truck Class

Jason Hillier, FedEx Freight, Wisconsin
Jason Matte, FedEx Freight, Mississippi
Brent Quire, Con-way Freight, Kentucky
Victor Skoglund, FedEx Freight, Washington
Wilbert Vano, Con-way Freight, New Jersey

Twins Class

Leonard Coleman, FedEx Freight, North Carolina
Johnny Malone, Safeway, Washington
Mark McLean, FedEx Freight, New York
Lawrence Schilmiller, Con-way Freight, Kentucky
Michael Umphrey, Con-way Freight, Alabama

Sleeper Berth Class

Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, Inc., Pennsylvania
Roy Garcia, Peninsula Truck Lines, Inc., Washington
Troy McNeal, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Florida
Gary Nuckolls, AAA Cooper Transportation, Alabama
Pat Rudesill, FedEx Ground, Louisiana

Step Van

Michael Bills, FedEx Express, North Carolina
Walter Freeman, FedEx Ground, South Carolina
Edward Gertz, FedEx Express, New Hampshire
Sean Saxon, FedEx Ground, Arizona
Andrew Tuck, FedEx Ground, Ohio

ATA's Truck Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the nation competing at state and regional levels to make it to the national competition Aug. 7-11 in Minneapolis, Minn.  The NTDC annually attracts over 2,000 cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators. For more information, visit the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships website: www.truckline.com/Federation/Councils/slpmc/NTDC/Pages/Default.aspx

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. Good stuff. Trucks Bring It!

The American Trucking Associations leads the effort for safer highways, focusing on greater education, enforcement and enhancement of traffic safety laws for all drivers.  www.trucking.org.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations