Eight Arizona Professional Drivers Head to National Truck Driving Championships

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Aug 20, 2013, 11:34 ET

PHOENIX, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eight Arizona professional truck drivers will arrive in Salt Lake City today to compete in the National Truck Driving Championships at the Salt Palace Convention Center. These elite drivers earned their way to compete in the "Superbowl of Safety" after winning their title earlier this summer at the state level.

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Over 420 drivers from all 50 states will compete in Salt Lake City for four days, challenging their driving skills, and knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. From 18-wheeler five axle sleepers to tank trucks to twin trailers—they will drive a course that recreates situations truck drivers face daily. These maneuvers may include: an alley dock, a rear line stop, a side park, a scale stop, a right turn, a front line stop, and straight line driving through a diminishing clearance.

On August 24, one contestant will drive away as the Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion.

"The Truck Driving Championships represent the culmination of the industry's dedication to safety," said Arizona Trucking Association President and CEO Tony Bradley. "I congratulate all the contestants and I hope Arizona cheers for our drivers this week."

Arizona participants at National Truck Driving Championships for each category include:

Robert W. Boykin, Walmart Transportation, LLC - Sleeper Berth
Ina L. Daly, Con-way Freight - Tank Truck
David R. Messmer, YRC Freight - Four-Axle
Russell A. Norman, FedEx Ground - Step Van
Jose A. Orozco, Con-way Freight - Five-Axle
Steven D. Smalley, ABF Freight System, Inc. - Three-Axle
Galen R. Spangler, Shamrock Foods Company - Straight Truck
Phillip J. Wells, Swift Transportation - Flatbed

ATA's National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the United States competing at company, state and regional levels to make it to the national competition Aug. 21-24 in Salt Lake City. The NTDC annually attracts over 2,000 cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators. For more information, visit the 2013 National Truck Driving Championships website. Follow NTDC this week on Facebook.

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! www.trucking.org.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations