Page 45 - ATR 3 2012 web 2

Tyson Sontag is a name long associ- ThANK YOU TO OUR 2012
ated with the Truck Technician Grand TRUCKING ChAmPIONShIP
Championship. An employee of McKee SPONSORS
Foods Transportation, LLC for the past 12
years, Sontag and his co-workers are fre- gold sponsor
quently engaged in friendly competition ABF Freight System Inc.
for the top spot. Of the 26 awards hand- FedEx Freight
ed out to truck technician competitors, J. J. Keller & Associations, Inc.
J.B. hunt Transport
15 were awarded to McKee Foods tech- National Truck Staffing
nicians. Sontag and his co-worker Eric Purkeys Fleet Electric LLC
Rusk, alternated first and second place Tri-State Truck Center
in five classes of competition including  Trailer Technician Championship Tyson Foods, Inc.
Chairman Terry Johnson, Arkansas
overall champion. Trailer, presents scott cothren, Tyson Walmart Transportation LLC
“Tyson is a leader in our shop,” said Foods, Inc., the Trailer Technician Grand silver sponsor
Sontag’s supervisor Billy Baker. “He is Champion trophy. Bendix
involved with training and promoting a CalArk International, Inc.
high level of safety and performance for diamond International Trucks
those he works with and around.” maverick Transportation, LLC
Jeff Cochran of FedEx Freight was STEmCO LP
named the Truck Driving Championship Truck-Lite Co. LLC
USA Truck
Grand Champion. Cochran, who won
the Twins division, has been a FedEx Bronze sponsor
Freight employee for 20 years, the last 17 Cobb-Vantress
of which have been accident-free. Jost International
Reyco Granning
He will be joined by each of the Shipley motor Equipment Sales Co.
winners from the nine truck classes to Travel Centers of America
represent Arkansas at the national truck
driving championships in Minneapolis,
Minn., August 7-11.
“The national competition, called
the ‘Super Bowl of Safety’ showcases the
safest and most professional truck driv-
ers who work every day on our nation’s  Friendly competition. husband and
highways,” Kidd said. “It is the highest wife samuel and kara irvin, FedEx
professional achievement a commercial Express, came in third and second place,
respectively, in the Step-Van competition.
truck driver can obtain.” No female in recent memory has placed in
Fitting with the ‘Super Bowl’ theme, any of the driving competitions.  loren Hatfield, ABF Freight System,
each year hundreds of drivers’ families, Inc., was chosen by the championship
co-workers and friends turn out to show judges to receive the Sportsmanship
their support for the competitors. It has Award.
turned into a massive tailgate party com-
plete with giant grills, chants and signs.
To encourage more fan participa-
tion, this year the ATA launched the
“People’s Choice Awards”. Spirit sticks (a
la high school pep rallies) were awarded
to the companies voted to have the Best
Dressed Driver Team, USA Truck; Most
Creative Fan Outfits, Con-way Freight;
Best Cheers, Con-way Freight; Biggest  Brett graves, maverick Transportation,  danny fuller of Con-way Freight
Group, Tyson Foods and Best Overall, LLC, is awarded a plaque from ATA’s accepts the newly added “Spirit Award”
USA Truck. shannon newton in appreciation for his for Best Cheers from stephanie Verdell,
service as the 2012 Arkansas Truck driving ATA.
Championship chairman. 

aRkansas TRucking RePoRT | issue 3 2012 45