Safety, Style, Family to Dominate at Indiana Truck Driving Championships

Judges interact with a driver at the 2018 Indiana Truck Driving Championships. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)

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Safety, style and family will be on display at the Indiana Truck Driving Championships, held June 7-8 at Lincoln College of Technology in Indianapolis.

“I know that our drivers, every year, look forward to this. Not only just to show their skills and compete with the best of the best out of our member companies but to reacquaint themselves with old friends and meet new ones,” IMTA Membership Services Director Kellie Walsh said. “The trucking family in Indiana is a close group, and this allows them to really grow that part of their profession.”

The competition, hosted by the Indiana Motor Truck Association, will see 180 drivers face off in a quest to take home the top prize. Last year’s Grand Champion, John Griswold of XPO Logistics, will be among them. The top driver in the 2018 Sleeper Berth division, Griswold will take on the 4-Axle this year.

Other notable entrants include multiple sets of family members. Walsh told Transport Topics that last year’s competition had eight sets of relatives. The organization expects about as many sets this year.

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And there will something at the event for everyone. IMTA plans to have a sno-cone maker at the event and a special meal for children who attend the closing banquet.

Winners of this year’s Indiana competition are sure to show up at the National Truck Driving Championships, to be held Aug. 14-17 in Pittsburgh, in style. Walsh says the organization has designed special hats and pins for those who qualify.

At the end of the day, though, Walsh says that safety is the No. 1 priority for the state competition.

“Safety is the top of the key, and the reason we do this,” Walsh said.