Mark Cole from Old Dominion Freight Line emerged as the grand champion at the 2025 Nebraska Truck Driving Championships last weekend, held at Fonner Park in Grand Island. Along with clinching the overall title, Cole also secured first place in the three-axle class.
Organized by the Nebraska Trucking Association, the two-day event showcased the exceptional skills of professional truck drivers across multiple categories.
Milestones and Awards
Joe McDonnell from XPO Logistics and Garrett Campbell from FedEx earned the prestigious Rookie of the Year title, awarded to first-time participants achieving the highest overall scores across all competition segments.
The Professional Excellence Award, recognizing excellence in the written test, was awarded to Todd Gimpel of FedEx Freight.
Jacob Friederich, representing Lyman-Richey Corporation, stood out in multiple facets. He won the Bucky Buchholtz Top Driver Award for achieving the top score on the driving course. Additionally, Friederich triumphed in the mixer truck category, a competition held in collaboration with the Nebraska Concrete & Aggregates Association.
Clinton Rast of ABF Freight System, Inc. took home the Everett Vehicle Condition Award for his standout performance during the pre-trip inspection segment. Meanwhile, the Jerry Wessel Award, honoring professionalism and industry expertise, went to Thomas Canning of Old Dominion Freight Line.
Class Winners at the 2025 Championships
Nine drivers across various categories earned the opportunity to represent Nebraska at the American Trucking Association’s National Truck Driving Championships in Minneapolis from August 20-23. The mixer truck winner will head to the National Mixer Driver Championship in Orlando, Florida, on October 11.
Here are the top finishers in each class:
- Straight Truck Class
1) Sam Wilson, XPO Logistics
2) Clinton Rast, ABF Freight System, Inc.
3) Michael Lemay, Greater Omaha Express
- Three-Axle Class
1) Mark Cole, Old Dominion Freight Line
2) Joseph Busch, ABF Freight System, Inc.
3) Tim Hallsted, Walmart Transportation, LLC
- Four-Axle Class
1) Paul Badgett, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2) James Dotson, FedEx Freight, Inc.
3) Derek Ward, XPO Logistics
- Five-Axle Class
1) Carolina Gallegos, Hill Brothers Transportation
2) Joe McDonnell, XPO Logistics
3) Thomas Rott, Grand Island Express, Inc.
- Five-Axle Sleeper Class
1) Blair Smith, Walmart Transportation, LLC
2) John Putney, Greater Omaha Express
3) Robert Elder, Schulz Transportation
- Tank Truck Class
1) Pat Crumb, Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc.
2) Cassandra Wright, Wynne Transportation Services
3) Craig Daniels, Crete Carrier Corporation
- Flatbed Class
1) George Chaney, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2) Christopher Corbett, Old Dominion Freight Line
3) Scott Deering, Chief Carriers, Inc.
- Twin-Trailer Class
1) Todd Gimpel, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2) Richard Boyd, Crete Carrier Corporation
3) Paul Smith, ABF Freight System, Inc.
- Mixer Truck Class
1) Jacob Friederich, Lyman-Richey Corporation
2) Gregory Burroughs, Husker Ready Mixed Concrete
3) Randy Walters, Lyman-Richey Corporation
- Step Van Class
1) Garrett Campbell, FedEx
2) Korey Clifton, FedEx
3) Charles Tockey, Grand Island Express, Inc.
Special Recognitions and Insights
The Nebraska State Patrol Inspector Championships were held alongside the NTDC event. Sergeant Matt Ramsey from Omaha claimed first place, with Investigator Kris Hunzeker from Nebraska City taking runner-up honors. Ramsey will represent Nebraska at the North American Inspector Championships, hosted concurrently with the ATA’s National Truck Driving Championships.
Additionally, teams from XPO Logistics, FedEx Freight, and Walmart Transportation received accolades in group categories.
The Nebraska Truck Driving Championships continues to celebrate and spotlight the incredible professionalism, skill, and dedication of commercial drivers while fostering a sense of community across the transportation industry.
Image Source: Nebraska Trucking Association
Source: Truckers News
