FedEx Freight’s Willinger Wins Kentucky, Again
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Less than six weeks before the country’s elite truckers meet for the premier precision-driving tournament, John Willinger formally embarks on a path of constant preparation.
This summer, Willinger, a veteran driver with FedEx Freight, earned his third grand champion trophy at Kentucky’s trucking contest. The accolade secured him a trip to his 14th National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships.
Scheduled to compete in the 5-axle vehicle class next month in Indianapolis, Willinger explained to Transport Topics that about a month before competitions commence he connects with his stubborn determination to display his talents on center stage.
“I think that my key to success is I actually get out there and practice; I try to practice four to five weekends right before the competitions. And I think one of my trade keys is that I don’t get shook up. I don’t get nervous. I get in the truck and I feel like I’m going to work,” Willinger said, referring to his training style.
2024 National Truck Driving Championships
Who: Winners from nine categories at the state level who have advanced to the national competition, where a Grand Champion will be crowned
What: Contestants are judged on a written exam, pre-trip inspection and driving skills
When: Aug. 21-24
Where: Indianapolis
“People ask me all the time,” he continued, “how I do that and I’m like, I don’t know. I just — you know — you can’t think that you’re in competition. Just act like you’re going to work.”
LISTEN IN: Coverage of the Road to the NTDC
Willinger’s iconic record of accomplishment in the Bluegrass State has invited support from family, colleagues and peers. He commits to overcoming a scale of challenges in competition as a way of elevating the level of excellence at state and national venues. He admittedly grapples with the seductions of longevity. As he put it, “I think it’s an addiction. Just something that drives me, drives me to be better and stay safe for a whole year, because, one little slip-up during the year and you don’t get to compete.”
Getting to Know You
Name: John Willinger
Age: 60
From: Louisville, Ky.
Vehicle: 5-axle
Grub get: pizza
What’s your jam: “Fight for Your Right” by the Beastie Boys
Favorite hobby: Swinging around on the farm and mowing a lot of grass
Last place visited: Destin, Fla.
Memorable NTDC moment: Visiting the salt flats during 2004’s nationals in Salt Lake City
The last word: “Don’t try to be like me. Try to be better than me.”
Willinger connected with NTDC’s mission of safety more than two decades ago. His training is not only self-justifying, it also becomes a recognition of the responsibility to champion safety above all else.
“I try to take my same game plan to nationals that I take in the state … try to not let my nerves rattle me, you know, try to get what I do at state and just act like I’m going to work.”
As he considers how to further pursue his goals in the precision-driving arena, Willinger found wisdom in the camaraderie anchoring this longtime national “Super Bowl of Safety.”
“When you’re at nationals, you are up against the best of the best in the whole United States,” he affirmed. “It’s just a great place … to meet other people. We all have the same interests. Pretty much, safety is it.”
Other Kentucky winners:
3-Axle: Jerry Wrinkle, Walmart
4-Axle: John Higgs, FedEx Freight
Flatbed: Ernest Wagers Jr., Old Dominion Freight Line
Sleeper Berth: Dale Brenaman, UPS
Step Van: Joshua Upton, FedEx
Straight Truck: Peter Dreisbach Jr., UPS
Tank Truck: Jim Niswander, UPS
Twin trailer: Chuck Walen, Walmart
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