FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Eric Reller
August 23, 2008 (703) 838-1896
Elisabeth Barna
(202) 420-8972
Heritage Transport’s Dennis R. Shirar Is 2008 National Truck Driving Grand Champion
Robert Romando, FedEx National LTL, Named National Rookie of the Year
HOUSTON, Texas. – Dennis R. Shirar, a Heritage Transport, LLC professional truck driver based in Indianapolis, Ind. was named the 2008 National Truck Driving Grand Champion. Shirar’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 375 other professional drivers from all across the United States in the National Truck Driving Championships, held in Houston, Texas. The 71st annual “Super Bowl of Safety” is sponsored by the American Trucking Associations.
In route to his title, Shirar has logged 30 accident and injury free years as a driver, with over 3 million miles behind the wheel. Shirar began competing in the National Truck Driving Championships in 1997, when he was named Indiana Rookie of the Year and placed second at Nationals in five-axle sleeper.
The contestants were the state champions in eight truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 498,368,294 accident-free miles.
In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise in the driving skills they use daily. The competition course inside Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center challenged their knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. The skills course tested drivers’ ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park, and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers or around curves.
“The National Truck Driving Championships showcase the industry’s commitment to safety,” said ATA President & CEO Bill Graves. “I applaud all the competitors for their efforts in making our highways safe, and congratulate Dennis for demonstrating how a dedication to safe driving skills can make you a Grand Champion.”
Shirar also won the individual straight truck driving competition. Joining Shirar as champions in their respective classes:
Three-Axle: Victor K. Wheeler – Roadway (Bountiful, Utah)
Four-Axle: Ryan R. Kelley - FedEx Freight (Nora Springs, Iowa)
Five-Axle: Buner H. Evans - USF Holland (Bremen, Georgia)
Five-Axle Sleeper: Karl R. Bohrer - Wal-Mart Transportation (Katy, Texas)
Twins: Chris A. Mahony - FedEx Freight (Kearns, Utah)
Flatbed: Ben S. Moore, Jr. - Wal-Mart Transportation (Americus, Georgia)
Tank Truck: John A. Smith, Jr. - FedEx Ground (Mooreville, Mississippi)
Shirar succeeds Alphonso Lewis, a professional truck driver with Roadway, as the National Grand Champion.
Robert Romando, a three-axle driver for FedEx National LTL from Surprise, Ariz., was named 2008 Rookie of the Year. Romando, who has been a professional truck driver for 18 years and has over 700,000 miles of accident free driving.
The Georgia state truck driving championship team won honors as the highest scoring state team, followed by Indiana and West Virginia.
A full list of award winners is below.
*Editors: High resolution photos of the winners are available.
2008 National Truck Driving Championship Winners:
Grand Champion: Dennis R. Shirar - Heritage Transport, LLC (Indianapolis, Indiana)
National Rookie of the Year: Robert Romando - FedEx National LTL (Surprise, Arizona)
State Team Trophy: Georgia (1st); Indiana (2nd); West Virginia (3rd)
Vehicle Condition Award: Carl Meyers – United Parcel Service (East Lake, Minnesota)
Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award: Clarence Jenkins, Jr. - UPS Freight (Poca, West Virginia)
Life-Time Volunteer Award: Woody and Jeanne Yarwood (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
National Champions:
Straight Truck Class
1st Place: Dennis R. Shirar - Heritage Transport, LLC (Indianapolis, Indiana)
2nd Place: Mario Gonzales, Sr. - H-E-B Grocery Co. (Katy, Texas)
3rd Place: Joshua J. Jetton - Con-way Freight (Wilder, Idaho)
3-Axle Class
1st Place: Victor K. Wheeler – Roadway (Bountiful, Utah)
2nd Place: Daniel J. Shamrell - FedEx Freight (Battle Ground, Washington)
3rd Place: Bruce Amor – Roadway (Plymouth, Indiana)
4-Axle Class
1st Place: Ryan R. Kelley - FedEx Freight (Nora Springs, Iowa)
2nd Place: Jeffrey Halford - Con-way Freight (Meridian, Idaho)
3rd Place: Neil P. Nogues - Yellow Transportation (Franklin, New Hampshire)
5-Axle Class
1st Place: Buner H. Evans - USF Holland (Bremen, Georgia)
2nd Place: Lynn C. Laubach - Advance Food Company, Inc. (Waukomis, Oklahoma)
3rd Place: John A. Willinger - FedEx Freight (Louisville, Kentucky)
Flatbed Class
1st Place: Ben S. Moore, Jr. - Wal-Mart Transportation (Americus, Georgia)
2nd Place: Danny G. Drewery - UPS Freight (Hernando, Mississippi)
3rd Place: Roy Hart, III (California, Maryland)
Tank Truck Class
1st Place: John A. Smith, Jr. - FedEx Ground (Mooreville, Mississippi)
2nd Place: David Bolden - H-E-B Grocery Co. (Houston, Texas)
3rd Place: Daryl D. George (Buffalo, New York)
Twins Class
1st Place: Chris A. Mahony - FedEx Freight (Kearns, Utah)
2nd Place: Jerry A. Richman - Yellow Transportation, Inc. (Moatsville, West Virginia)
3rd Place: Erik P. Lilleberg - FedEx Ground (Billings, Montana)
Sleeper Berth Class
1st Place: Karl R. Bohrer - Wal-Mart Transportation (Katy, Texas)
2nd Place: Gary L. Plant - Wal-Mart Transportation (Windsor, Colorado)
3rd Place: Clark B. Welch - Wal-Mart Transportation (Locust Grove, Arkansas)