Overnite Transportation company drivers Teddy Abshire from Ohio, and Marty Hogan of Virginia, took home the gold last weekend, winning their respective divisions at the 2004 National Truck Driving Championships
in Salt Lake City.
Abshire, a road driver based in Overnite's Columbus Service Center, earned his ticket to the National Championships this summer when he captured the Ohio State title in the five-axle sleeper division. The Whitehall, Ohio, resident will celebrate his 13th anniversary with Overnite later this year.
For Hogan, a road driver out of Overnite's Roanoke Service Center, this year's title in the twins division was extra sweet, returning to the Nationals for a second consecutive year and finishing in the Top 10 nationally last year. Named the 2003 Virginia Grand Champion, the Lynchburg, Va., resident has been driving for Overnite for the past 14 years.
Abshire and Hogan were among 18 Overnite drivers who captured state titles in 2004 and qualified for the National Championships. As a group, the 18 have won 36 state championships throughout their careers and logged more than 300 years without an accident.
Nearly 400 competitors, all state champions, met to test their skills at the 67th annual National Truck Driving Championships. Drivers qualified for the national championships by winning at the state level in one of nine equipment classes.
Leo Suggs, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Overnite, said, "I know I speak for every man and woman at Overnite today when I say we all stand a little taller because of the special efforts of not only our first-place finishers but every champion driver at Overnite who is committed and dedicated to being the best, safest drivers they can be. As professional drivers, they are a credit to their craft and to the entire trucking industry."