Contract Freighters Inc., recently held its third annual CFI Truck Driving Championships at corporate headquarters in Joplin, Mo.

Out of 20 drivers who qualified, 15 were chosen to compete in the final competition held Oct. 2, 2004.
The final competition consisted of successfully navigating a 13-obstacle course, with points being awarded for each obstacle effectively maneuvered.
Bill Clanton was named grand champion, scoring a total of 510 points out of a possible 650. Clanton received $1,500, a custom jacket and a champion’s trophy. Clanton has driven more than 1,600,000 miles with CFI.
Runners up were John Lisle and Allen Zwingle. Lisle claimed second place with a score of 495 points. Third place went to Zwingle with a score of 490. Both Lisle and Zwingle have driven more than a million miles with CFI.
"At CFI, we take the safety of our drivers and the general public very seriously," said Randy Cornell, CFI's VP-Safety.
Drivers had to maneuver a tractor and 53-foot trailer through a series of obstacles such as right-hand and left-hand turns, serpentine curves, navigating an offset alley, alley docking, and parallel parking, among others. Safety trainers, security and safety managers and fleet managers judged the driving championship.
Other drivers that competed in the event included: Albert Arriola, David Campbell, Vicki Gonde, John Harvey, John Kelly, Robert King, Jim Lovgren, Bob Miller, Jimmy Nichols, Mario Ojeda, Michael Ruyf, and Greg Shaw.
For more information, visit www.cfi-us.com.