Paul Badgett of FedEx Freight captured Grand Champion honors at the 2026 Nebraska Truck Driving Championships, held June 5 and 6 at Fonner Park in Grand Island, Nebraska.
The annual event, organized by the Nebraska Trucking Association, brought together professional drivers from across the state to compete in written testing, pre-trip inspections, driving skills, and vehicle class competitions. The championships also determine which drivers will represent Nebraska at the American Trucking Associations National Truck Driving Championships later this summer.
FedEx Freight and Walmart Transportation Drivers Earn Top Awards
In addition to Badgett’s Grand Champion title, several competitors received special awards recognizing outstanding performance throughout the event.
Logan Booker of Walmart Transportation, LLC earned Rookie of the Year honors after posting the highest overall score among first-time competitors.
Todd Gimpel of FedEx Freight claimed the Professional Excellence Award for the second consecutive year. The award is presented to the driver with the highest score on the written examination.
Garet Poland of Walmart Transportation received the Bucky Buchholtz Top Driver Award for achieving the highest score on the driving course. The award is named in honor of the late Bucky Buchholtz, a former Nebraska State Patrol trooper and longtime championships committee member.
Booker also earned the Kurt Everett Vehicle Condition Award for recording the highest score during the pre-trip inspection portion of the competition.
Joseph Busch of ABF Freight Systems, Inc. received the Jerry Wessel Award, which recognizes professionalism, industry knowledge, and attitude demonstrated throughout the championships. The award is open to drivers and volunteers who have participated in the event for at least five years.
Class Champions Secure Spots at National Competition
Nine class champions earned the opportunity to represent Nebraska at the National Truck Driving Championships scheduled for August 11 through 14 in Pittsburgh.
Class winners included:
- Straight Truck: Clinton Rast of Omaha, Nebraska, ABF Freight Systems, Inc.
- Three Axle: Garet Poland of Kenesaw, Nebraska, Walmart Transportation
- Four Axle: Todd Gimpel of Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight
- Five Axle: Tom Canning of Bellevue, Nebraska, Old Dominion Freight Line
- Five Axle Sleeper: John Putney of Blanchard, Oklahoma, Greater Omaha Express
- Tank Truck: Tim Dean of Griswold, Iowa, Werner Enterprises
- Flatbed: George Chaney of Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight
- Twin Trailer: Paul Badgett of Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight
- Mixer Truck: Jacob Friederich of Papillion, Nebraska, Lyman-Richey Corporation
- Step Van: Korey Clifton of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, FedEx Express
Old Dominion Freight Line earned the team championship.
Friederich will also advance to the National Mixer Driver Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Nashville this October.
Inspector Competition Held Alongside Driver Championships
The Nebraska State Patrol Inspector Championships were conducted alongside the truck driving competition.
Inspectors competed in a series of evaluations that included personal interviews, hazardous materials exercises, and hands-on inspection challenges designed to test professional knowledge and technical skills.
The Truck Drivers USA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering industry topics, job trends, and real-world decisions that impact drivers at every stage of their careers. Each article is written to provide clear, accurate information that drivers can use.
Last updated: June 12, 2026
Source: Truckers News
Image Source: Nebraska Trucking Association
