Georgia Trucker Named Grand Champion at NTDC

A driver for an Atlanta company that owns 70 McDonalds’ franchises was selected as grand champion in the National Truck Driving Championships in New Orleans.

	Michael James - Transport Topics
	2000 NTDC Grand Champion Tom C. Turner

Tom C. Turner of Carroltown, Ga, was honored as the “best of the best” drivers at an Aug. 12 banquet honoring the 387 contestants in the annual event held by American Trucking Associations.

Turner has worked for 30 years with the Atlanta-based Martin-Brower Co., and has driven 1.9 million miles during his 38-year trucking career.

Turner also won first place in the five-axle tractor semi-trailer division during the Aug. 9-12 competition.

To win trucking’s highest driver honor, Turner first had to win his state championship and the semifinals at the national level.

Roger L. Lanham, a driver for Overnite Transportation Co., out of Nitro, W.Va., received the Goley T. Sontheimer Award, named for the late safety director for ATA. Lanham, who has worked 28 years for Overnite, has accumulated 3.2 million miles during his 32-year driving career. He was chosen by championship officials based on his driving record, skill, attitude and personality.

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The Rookie of the Year Award - presented to an outstanding newcomer to the championships program - was presented to Walter Cream of Wallingford, Conn., who drivers for J.R. Christoni, Inc., of Wallingford, Conn. Cream has been with his employer for eight years and has accumulated 1 million accident-free miles during his 15 years in trucking.

Here are the winners of each of the nine classes of competition:

Auto Transporter: George Morey, of Janesville, Wis., who drives for Allied Systems, Inc.

Sleeper Berth: David James, of Rock Falls, Ill., who drivers for Con-Way Central Express.

Twins: Keith Herzig, of Willington, Conn., who drives for Fed-Ex Ground.

Three Axle: John Hazlet of Southampton, N.J., who drives for ABF Freight System, Inc.

Four Axle: Mark Ritter, of Lawrsons, S.C., who drives for Wal-Mart, Inc.

Flat Bed: Rick Caylor, of Loveland, Colo., who drives for Wal-Mart, Inc.

Tank Trucks: David Kight of Jacksonville, Fla., who drives for Publix Supermarkets.

Straight Truck: Kenneth Epley, of Chicago, Ill., who drives for Roadway Express, Inc.

The eight-person team from Colorado had the best average score of any of the state teams competing.