Overnite Corp., Richmond, Va., will send a team of 18 professional drivers to the American Trucking Assns.'(ATA) 2004 National Truck Driving Championships to be held Aug. 18-21 in Salt Lake City.

Overnite's roster of 2004 state titleholders includes 17 champion drivers from Overnite Transportation Co. -- two of them honored with Grand Champion trophies -- and one driver from Motor Cargo Industries Inc. Overnite Transportation and Motor Cargo are both subsidiaries of the corporation.
"Our state champions are among the nation's most honored and accomplished professionals," said Leo Suggs, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Overnite Corp. "They all have demonstrated outstanding driving skills and knowledge of the trucking industry."
The Tarheel State's No. 1 driver, George Somers of Greensboro, N.C., and Missouri's best, John Richardson of Springfield, Mo., will lead a team of drivers from 14 states to Utah to compete in the ATA's 67th annual event. Richardson and Somers, both Overnite Transportation road drivers, each claimed the first-place trophy in their class and outperformed all other drivers at their state's competition to earn the Grand Champion title.
The corporation's roster of 2004 state title holders also includes Overnite Transportation drivers Rusty Holmes of Birmingham, Ala.; David Slaughter of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Atlanta's David Creamer; Denny Kinnaman of Louisville, Ky.; Steve Dunn of Burlington, Vt.; Charles Maynard of Charleston, W.Va.; Baltimore's Joe Smith; and Mark Asbury of Kansas City, Kan.
Also, Brian Walker of Greensboro, N.C.; Teddy Abshire of Columbus, Ohio; Kent Luebbers of St. Louis, Mo.; Gaffney, S.C., drivers Tommy Jackson and Rick Simpson; and Virginia champions Marty Hogan and Eddie Meadows, both of Roanoke, Va. Meadows also was named Virginia's Rookie of the Year at the state competition.
Rounding out the team is Nevada twins champion Son Neal, a Las Vegas-based road driver for Motor Cargo Industries Inc., who will represent the western regional transportation company at the Nationals. This year's championship event is being held in Motor Cargo's hometown of Salt Lake City.
In addition to these individual state championships, Overnite Transportation drivers also won the team trophy award at the Maryland and Virginia state competitions.
"These drivers display the level of commitment to safety that is essential to keeping the nation's roads safe for carriers and for everyday motorists alike," Suggs added. "Their personal safety records, and expertise on safety policies and regulations, highway laws and equipment make them a credit to Overnite and the entire trucking industry."
Overnite's 2004 state champions have accumulated a collective safe service record of some 300 years of driving without an accident. Together, they have achieved 36 state championship titles throughout their careers.
Both the state and national competitions include difficult driving skills and maneuvering tests, equipment inspections and exams covering safety policies and regulations. Nearly 400 top drivers from across the country will compete on the national level in nine equipment classes.