National Truck Driving Championships

Our National Champions Interview Series continues on the podcast as Connor Dent joins us to discuss winning the 2024 NTDC Twins Title at the age of 25.  As you will hear, Connor shares his passion for truck driving, his journey to becoming a national champion and his enthusiastic outlook for future state and national competitions. The conversation also highlights Connor’s dedication, the sup...

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, our podcast takes some time to reflect on the past year and the tremendous support of our listeners. Also, in this episode, you will hear the first segment in our National Champions Series as we begin to feature the nine professional drivers who earned the title of National Champion at NTDC 2024. We will be starting this series with an onsite visit talking to NTDC 2...

In this can’t miss episode, our podcast returns after a brief break to feature the first in-depth interview with Jackie Reed, the Grand Champion of NTDC 2024. Jackie spoke with Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero. The interview featured in this episode took place as the initial excitement over Jackie’s first national title in the Tanker Class had also started to become the reality of cl...

This episode of our series spotlights two moving moments from Championship Saturday at NTDC 2024. Once you hear them, you’ll know they are moments that call on us to pause and reflect on the immense talents of professional truck drivers. As the industry and the country celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week September 15-21, our podcast wanted to share a great performance of the National...

One of the many great parts of the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships is that the event is held in the same location as the North American Inspectors Challenge (NAIC). Both competitions feature top professionals in their respective fields, and there’s always a tremendous level of respect and appreciation on display between the trucking industry and law enforcement...

The Convoy Of Hope is familiar with answering the call for assistance. As an organization dedicated to feeding children throughout the world and a specialist in providing help with disaster response, the Convoy Of Hope knows how to get involved and lend a hand. Prior to NTDC 2024, Convoy Of Hope got a request from the event organizers about providing equipment to be used on the course in Indianapo...

On Championship Saturday, XPO’s Wilbert Vano was pleasantly surprised when he spotted an old friend walk into the Indianapolis Convention Center as the championship drive-off round was taking place. Fellow XPO driver Carl Krites, who earned the 2010 National Grand Championship with his mother in the stands cheering him to victory, was making his first visit to the NTDC in many years. Born in a sma...

In this onsite conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Antoine Sadler and Anthony Tirone share their respective journeys within the trucking industry and the paths that brought them to be selected as America’s Road Team Captains earlier this year. As you will hear, Antoine and Anthony, who are both part of the Wal-Mart Transportation fleet, understand the honor that comes with becoming...

Pete Palczynski has dedicated his working life to two of America’s essential industries – farming and trucking. During his visit with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show onsite in Indianapolis, Pete discusses his lifelong passion for farming and truck driving. Pete shares how both roles contribute to supplying and feeding America. He also looks back at his journey to become a Captain on America’s Road...

Lindsay Trent from the Next Generation In Trucking Association joins Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show in this onsite segment at NTDC 2024. As you will hear, the conversation highlights NextGen Trucking’s efforts to introduce trucking programs in high schools. In fact, you’ll meet a high school senior who is participating in this program, sharing his personal journey of transferring schools to pur...

In this episode, Nate McCarty talks with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show about his career journey that has been highlighted by serving in the military and excelling in the trucking industry. This year, Nate’s dedication to safety helped him win the Straight Truck Class State Championship in Colorado and qualifying to be a part of NTDC 2024. During his conversation with Jimmy, Nate shares his exper...

Ron Round, a veteran driver with 36 years of experience who continues to be inspired by the NTDC, joins Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show to talk about his career in trucking and his involvement in the Super Bowl of Safety.  From watching his first precision driving competition to becoming the 2001 Rookie of the Year in Maine and competing annually ever since, Ron shares how the rigorous preparati...

In this episode, Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show puts the spotlight on Ralph Garcia, a revered member of the truck driving community and a long-time contributor to the industry. Ralph shares his experiences from his early days in trucking, his involvement with Wreaths Across America, and his dedication to the Truck Driving Championships. As Ralph approaches retirement, he reflects on his health,...

It’s been exactly 20 years since Wayne Crowder became the one (and still only) person to win the National Grand Championship as a “rookie-rookie.” In this conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Wayne shares his remarkable journey in the truck driving championships, from his unexpected entry at the state level to achieving an incredible accomplishment on the national stage. Wayne also l...

During his visit with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear offers the highest praise for the National Championships and the standard of safety excellence the NTDC competitors have set for the trucking industry. As you’ll hear, Chris discusses the impact of the championships on the individuals and their families, as well as the broader message of safety, efficiency, an...

The trip to be a part of NTDC 2024 stood as another highlight for both Bernie Wanyo and Mike Whitehead. Earlier this year, Bernie and Mike, along with 22 other top professional drivers, were named to serve as Captains on America’s Road Team. In this chat with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Bernie and Mike talk about their careers in trucking, becoming part of the Road Team and being onsite at th...

During this interview by Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, we catch up with Bob and Byron Bramwell, whose family traditions speak to not only the career opportunities that trucking provides, but to the dedication to safety and service that stand at the heart of the industry.  As you will hear, the conversation explores their shared experiences in national driving championships, the evolution of the...

Kirk Weiss of ABF Freight discusses his journey to find the trucking industry with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show. As Kirk shares with us, his trucking career began after being laid off from a factory job. Kirk was pleasantly surprised by being allowed to practice driving in Yellow Freight Systems’ yard back in the day. Discussing the annual NTDC event, Kirk looks back on his competitive ex...

At NTDC 2024, Herschel Evans got an opportunity to look back on what has been an amazing career in the trucking industry. A two-time National Champion at NTDC, Herschel’s many great works both inside and outside the industry, including organizing an annual precision driving charity event that has raised over $300,000 for pediatric brain cancer research, have placed him among the greatest Knights o...

Gragg Wilson opened NTDC 2024 with a speech to all of this year’s competitors that reminded the field of 400-plus professional drivers just how special a journey they made to Indianapolis. In this conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Gragg looks back at an eventful year that saw him become a Captain on America’s Road Team. Gragg also talks about the importance of safety in trucking,...

NTDC 2024 marked the first time that Dennis Dellinger had made the trip to watch the national competition. Serving as First Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, Dennis had the opportunity to welcome the 400-plus competitors on the opening day of NTDC 2024. In this interview with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Dennis talks about his first visit to the NTDC and he looks back on his...

In this episode, we get to know Ritch Fundell, who earned National Runner-Up honors in the Three-Axle Division during NTDC 2024. Ritch is now in his 26th year as a professional behind the wheel, with 20 of those being a part of the FedEx Freight fleet. Speaking with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Ritch shares his journey from Tonica, Illinois, where he grew up, to becoming a seasoned driver. He...

With this episode, we catch up with Ina Daly, the only woman to win a National Championship in the history of the NTDC. At this year’s competition, Ina was once again a standout, reaching the finals in the Flatbed Division. Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo leads Ina on a quick look back at her more than 40 years of experience and 3.9 million accident-free miles on the road. It has been a remarkable jour...

One of the true highlights of NTDC 2024 took place just off the driving course during the competition’s third day when the organizing committee brought together nine of the NTDC Legends who have won the title of Grand Champion. Our NTDC Podcast was on hand as some of the greatest to ever compete in the 87-year history of the national championships gathered for a group photo. The nine Grand Champio...

As the competitors from five of the driving classifications hit the driving course, our podcast team of PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson and Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero worked to take our listeners inside the happenings at NTDC 2024. Eugene caught up with two-time Grand Champion Roland Bolduc, and Greg sat down with Ben Atkinson, who shares the amazing story of how he...