Lawson Named Driving Champion

TAMPA, Fla. — Marty Lawson took top honors as Grand Champion for the second year in a row at the National Truck Driving Championships held at the Tampa Convention Center here August 18-21.

The championships are a program of the American Trucking Associations. Mobil Corp. is the premier sponsor in 1999.

Lawson, a driver for Harley-Davidson Transportation in York. Pa., who competed in the Twins division in 1998, this time won the top award for his performance in the sleeper berth competition.

The other national champions are:

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Straight trucks - Robert J. Dolan of A-P-A Transport in Pennsylvania,

Three-axle - Bruce M. Early of Con-Way Central Ex-press in Ohio,

Four-axle – Kenny D. Wulf of Farmland Industries in Iowa,

Five-axle – Eleno P. Lara of H. E. Butt Grocery in Texas

Flatbed – Robert M. Brown of Jagtrux in Pennsylvania

Tank – Earl B. Rosado of Chevron Products in Hawaii

Twins – Michael Nardone of RPS in Connecticut, and

Auto Transporter – Charles L. McDonald of Allied Systems.Second place winners in the NTDC competition were:

Straight Truck – Charlie F. Woodland of Viking Freight in Arizona,
Three-Axle – Daryl G. Johnson of Roadway Express in Nebraska,
Four-Axle — Edward L. Miller of Parker Motor Freight in Michigan,
Five-Axle – Joseph L. Banks of Oriole Chemical Chemical Carriers in Delaware,
Flatbed – Michael C. Myren of Collins Transport in Washington,
Tank – Randy B. Wosmek of Supervalu Transportation in Minnesota,
Twins – David G. McDonald of Roadway Express in Kansas,
Sleeper Berth – Bryan K. Smith of Roadway Express in Maryland, and
Auto Transporter – Dennis F. Nishimoto of Hadley Auto Transport in Region 1.

Third place winners were:

Straight Truck – Howard F. Wagner of U. S. Food Service in Minnesota,
Three-Axle – Daniel F. Shamrell of Viking Freight in Oregon,
Four-Axle – Michael L. Ringer of Roadway Express in Ohio,
Five-Axle – Derrill M. Blandford of USF Holland in Kentucky,
Flatbed — Carl L. Vance of J.B. Hunt Transport in Kentucky,
Tank – Ronald J. Bowman Sr. of Getty Petroleum in New Jersey,
Twins – Michael Galbraith of Con-Way Southern Ex-press in Tennessee,
Sleeper Berth – Patrick C. Erickson of Brookshire Grocery in Texas, and
Auto Transporter – Jerry L. Hornaday of Hadley Auto Transport in Region 10.

One driver, Howard F. Wagner of U.S. Food Service in Minnesota, managed a perfect score of 300 in his semifinal run. For this he received a special $2,000 award from ATA. Wagner placed third in the straight truck competition.

Lawson’s performance, along with those of Dolan and Brown, helped propel the driving contingent from the state of Pennsylvania to the team championships.

Other members of the delegation from Pennsylvania who receive awards along with state trucking association are: Richard Bieseker of Overnite Transportation, Aubrey Knox of Con-Way Central Express, Larry Moul of L.& H. Trucking, Michael Wiest of RPS and Gary Wilkinson of Con-Way Central Express.

ATA Chairman John Wren presented the award to the Pennsylvania team, which he said had an average score of 336.12.

The second place team, from Minnesota, had an average score of 324.12. Third place was a tie between the states of Texas in West Virginia, each with a score of 314.25.

The presentations were made at the annual NTDC banquet held August 21 at the Convention Center.

Julie Cirilo, program manager of the Office of Motor Carrier and Hazardous Materials Safety at the Federal Highway Administration, presented the annual Sontheimer award, named for the late Goley D. Sontheimer, director of safety for the American Trucking Associations, which is given each year "to the driver who best exemplifies all attributes that make up the professional truck driver."

Drivers are judged on their record, skill attitude and personality.

he award, a gold and marble trophy went this year to Raymond E. McKee of Watkins Motor Lines in Florida.

In presenting the award, Cirilo called on the assembled champions to "use their influence to pressure the 10 to 15% who are unsafe drivers" into driving more safely.

Another special award, Rookie of the Year, went to Morris O. O’Keefe of Con-Way Central Express of Massachusetts. O’Keefe’s award was based on the average of his semifinal score and the input of interview judges, pre-trip judges, and "den mothers" (officials who act as dispatchers for contestants in the various classes).

The voluntary service award, now renamed the Lee Crittendon Memorial Award went to Alex Ayala of H. E. Butt Grocery in Texas. Crittendon, an executive with Associates Corp., had been a long-time and active supporter of the NTDC program before his death in April 1998 (5-4-98, p. 30).

The award was presented by John Harris, vice chairman of the NTDC, who recalled Crittendon’s contributions to NTDC.

The Vehicle Condition Award, developed by ATA to recognize the contestant who demonstrates the best performance in maintaining an efficient vehicle, was presented to Alan B. Gale of Viking Freight in Utah.

In addition to Lawson, two of this year’s national champions had been national champions once before.

Lawson had won the national prize in the Twins competition in 1998. Dolan, who won in the straight truck class this year, had previously won in 1990 in the same class.

Lara had previously won in the five-axle competition in 1996. He had placed second in 1992.

A special plaque of appreciation was presented by the ATA to Mark Darling , director of safety at Oakley Transport in Lake Wales, Fla., and chairman of the NTDC committee.

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