FedEx to Send 115 Drivers to National Truck Driving Championships

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One hundred and fifteen drivers from 45 states representing the FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies will compete in the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) in Orlando, Fla., August 9-13.

“This commitment is evident through the performance of the more than 1,400 FedEx team members who competed in their respective state truck driving championships and of our 115 national finalists.”

Each FedEx driver earned the right to compete in the NTDC by qualifying at state-level truck driving championships. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) sponsors the NTDC, which is designed to recognize industry leadership in safety and to promote professionalism among truck drivers.

“At FedEx, safety is a top priority in every aspect of our business,” said Frederick W. Smith, President, CEO and Chairman, FedEx Corp. “This commitment is evident through the performance of the more than 1,400 FedEx team members who competed in their respective state truck driving championships and of our 115 national finalists.”

Here are some facts about the 2011 FedEx NTDC competitors:

Collectively, the drivers have 2,202 years of professional driving experience among them.
In total, the team has safely driven nearly 125 million miles during their careers – enough to circle the globe more than 5,019 times.
Sixty-one of the FedEx competitors have driven professionally for 20 years or more.
Fifty-nine of them have each accumulated at least one million miles of safe driving.
Eleven of them have won five or more state championships.

At the NTDC, the FedEx drivers will be among nearly 450 competitors who will vie for national titles in nine different classes of vehicles and for the National Grand Champion title. The drivers accumulate points by demonstrating their driving skills and knowledge of the industry through a written exam, pre-trip inspection and field test.

Sean Saxon, owner of Berly Q Inc. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Tempe, Ariz., will be competing at his third NTDC. The reigning National Champion in the Step Van class, he has driven professionally for five years without ever having an accident.

“Competing at the NTDC is like playing in the World Series or Super Bowl,” said Saxon. “Winning a national title last year was my most rewarding experience as a professional driver because I competed against the safest drivers from the across the country and came out on top. It’s truly an honor to have earned the right to return to the competition again this year.”

The 2011 FedEx National Truck Driving Championships team includes:

Driver’s Name	State	Domicile Facility	Hometown	Class
Kirt Hartshorn	AK	Fairbanks, Alaska	Fairbanks, Alaska	Step Van
Ross Garner	AL	Decatur, Ala.	Hartselle, Ala.	3-Axle
Martin McDonald	AL	Spanish Fort, Ala.	Mobile, Ala.	Flatbed
Gary Ramsey	AL	Montgomery, Ala.	Eclectic, Ala.	Step Van
Charlie Salter	AL	Montgomery, Ala.	Prattville, Ala.	4-Axle
Dan Thompson	AL	Mobile, Ala.	Spanish Fort, Ala.	Twins
Paul Roe	AR	Fort Smith, Ark.	Van Buren, Ark.	Step Van
Russ Norman	AZ	Tempe, Ariz.	Mesa, Ariz.	Step Van
Bob Petersen	AZ	Phoenix, Ariz.	Phoenix, Ariz.	4-Axle
Sean Saxon	AZ	Tempe, Ariz.	Scottsdale, Ariz.	Straight Truck
Scott Watts	AZ	Phoenix, Ariz.	Goodyear, Ariz.	3-Axle
Troy Astrande	CA	Rialto, Calif.	Redlands, Calif.	Step Van
Gary Martin	CA	Sacramento, Calif.	Galt, Calif.	Twins
Dave Mogler	CO	Denver, Colo.	Brighton, Colo.	Twins
Tony Singh	CO	Denver, Colo.	Denver, Colo.	Step Van
Paul Swan	CO	Denver, Colo.	Thornton, Colo.	4-Axle
Paul Brandon	CT	New Haven, Conn.	Oxford, Conn.	Tank Truck
Tom Griffin	CT	New Haven, Conn.	Wallingford, Conn.	5-Axle
Ed Oakes	CT	Hartford, Conn.	Chicopee, Mass.	Twins
Keith Towne	CT	Norwich, Conn.	Charlestown, R.I.	Step Van
Cruz Vazquez	CT	New Haven, Conn.	New Haven, Conn.	Straight Truck
J.R. Argo	DE	Salisbury, Md.	Ellendale, Del.	Step Van
Rick Albritton	FL	Melbourne, Fla.	Palm Bay, Fla.	Step Van
Rene Molinary	FL	Miami, Fla.	Coral Springs, Fla.	Straight Truck
Greg Sams	FL	Valdosta, Ga.	Ocala, Fla.	3-Axle
Luis Soto	FL	Hollywood, Fla.	Cooper City, Fla.	4-Axle
Kenny Davis	GA	Atlanta, Ga.	Newnan, Ga.	5-Axle Sleeper
Allen Sohn	IA	Des Moines	Des Moines, Iowa	4-Axle
Jeremy Alt	ID	Mountain Home, Idaho	Mountain Home, Idaho	4-Axle
Daryl Barnett	ID	Mountain Home, Idaho	Boise, Idaho	Straight Truck
Tim Miller	ID	Mountain Home, Idaho	Nampa, Idaho	Twins
Randy Schwasinger	ID	Boise, Idaho	Boise, Idaho	Step Van
Joe Carson	IL	Effingham, Ill.	Strasburg, Ill.	Tank Truck
Shay Gibson	IL	Effingham, Ill.	Arcola, Ill.	Step Van
Tony Malloy	IN	Louisville, Ky.	Sellersburg, Ind.	Step Van
Dean Harris	KS	Kansas City, Kan.	Edgerton, Kan.	Step Van
Don Logan	KS	Topeka, Kan.	Eskridge, Kan.	Tank Truck
Clifford McConico	KS	Kansas City, Kan.	Bonner Springs, Kan.	Twins
Jay Miller	KS	Kansas City, Kan.	Bonner Springs, Kan.	Straight Truck
Jeff Thompson	KS	Kansas City, Kan.	Olathe, Kan.	Flatbed
Janet Hoard	KY	Louisville, Ky.	Crestwood, Ky.	Straight Truck
Ben Noschang	KY	Hebron, Ky.	Lawrenceburg, Ind.	Step Van
David Proctor	KY	Louisville, Ky.	Mount Washington, Ky.	3-Axle
Paul Book	LA	Lake Charles, La.	Lake Charles, La.	Step Van
Milton Hebert	LA	Lafayette, La.	Lafayette, La.	Tank Truck
Pat Rudesill	LA	New Orleans, La.	Hammond, La.	5-Axle Sleeper
Xavier Theriot	LA	Shreveport, La.	Shreveport, La.	Twins
Roland Bolduc	MA	Windsor Locks, Conn.	E. Longmeadow, Mass.	Tank Truck
Rich Gray	MA	Springfield, Mass.	W. Springfield, Mass.	Twins
Bob Ledoux	MA	Raynham, Mass.	Swansea, Mass.	Step Van
Mike Woltz	MD	Rockville, Md.	Germanton, Md.	Step Van
John Clouser	MI	Fremont, Ind.	Concord, Mich.	3-Axle
Doug Davidson	MI	Saginaw, Mich.	Saginaw, Mich.	Step Van
Mark Duensing	MI	Toledo, Ohio	Taylor, Mich.	Twins
Jim Fisher	MI	Toledo, Ohio	Royal Oak, Mich.	5-Axle Sleeper
Paul Butkowski	MN	St. Cloud, Minn.	Sauk Rapids, Minn.	3-Axle
Chris Rapsch	MN	White Bear Lake, Minn.	Columbia Heights, Minn.	Step Van
Mike Hausner	MO	St. Louis, Mo.	O'Fallon, Mo.	Step Van
Richard O’Brien	MO	St. Louis, Mo.	Maryland Heights, Mo.	4-Axle
Tommy Boyanton	MS	Jackson, Miss.	Florence, Miss.	3-Axle
Randy Byrd	MS	Jackson, Miss.	Florence, Miss.	Twins
Don Smith	MS	Tupelo, Miss.	Tupelo, Miss.	Step Van
Erik Lilleberg	MT	Billings, Mont.	Billings, Mont.	3-Axle
Tom Miller	MT	Billings, Mont.	Billings, Mont.	Straight Truck
Mike Bills	NC	Durham, N.C.	Fuquay-Varina, N.C.	Step Van
Cecil Hicks	NC	Charlotte, N.C.	Norwood, N.C.	Flatbed
Joe Honek	ND	Grand Forks, N.D.	E. Grand Forks, Minn.	3-Axle
Chris Tande	ND	Fargo, N.D.	W. Fargo, N.D.	Step Van
Andy James	NH	Manchester, N.H.	Derry, N.H.	Step Van
Lester Beben	NJ	South Brunswick, N.J.	Parlin, N.J.	5-Axle Sleeper
Jim Erickson	NJ	Cinnaminson, N.J.	Marlton, N.J.	5-Axle
Dave Font	NJ	Moonachie, N.J.	New Brunswick, N.J.	Step Van
Louie Hermida	NM	Lordsburg, N.M.	Deming, N.M.	Twins
Chris Shaw	NM	Albuquerque, N.M.	Albuquerque, N.M.	Step Van
Chad Stahnke	NM	Albuquerque, N.M.	Albuquerque, N.M.	Straight Truck
Christina Fleury	NV	Las Vegas, Nev.	Las Vegas, Nev.	Step Van
Matt Hart	NV	Elko, Nev.	Elko, Nev.	3-Axle
John Lugo	NV	Las Vegas, Nev.	Las Vegas, Nev.	Straight Truck
Patrick Nerger	NV	Reno, Nev.	Sparks, Nev.	5-Axle
Gragg Wilson	NV	Reno, Nev.	Verdi, Nev.	Tank Truck
Mike Guanciale	NY	Syracuse, N.Y.	Camillus, N.Y.	3-Axle
Randy Merle	NY	Rochester, N.Y.	Leicester, N.Y.	4-Axle
Scott Brown	OH	Toledo, Ohio	Curtice, Ohio	5-Axle Sleeper
Scott Woodrome	OH	Dayton, Ohio	Middletown, Ohio	Flatbed
Russell Beachler	OK	Oklahoma City, Okla.	Moore, Okla.	5-Axle
Patrick Corrente	OK	Lawton, Okla.	Lawton, Okla.	Step Van
Larry Kendall	OK	Tulsa, Okla.	Tulsa, Okla.	4-Axle
Jerry Lambert	OR	Portland, Ore.	Vancouver, Wash.	Twins
Chris Outen	OR	Portland, Ore.	Vancouver, Wash.	3-Axle
Nick Paradiso	OR	Portland, Ore.	Vancouver, Wash.	Step Van
Jim Rud	OR	Portland, Ore.	Sandy, Ore.	Straight Truck
Dan Shamrell	OR	Portland, Ore.	Battle Ground, Wash.	4-Axle
Chuck DiGiovanni	PA	Philadelphia, Pa.	Norristown, Pa.	Step Van
Jerry Avossa	SC	Charlotte, N.C.	Fort Mill, S.C.	3-Axle
Dubby Freeman	SC	Florence, S.C.	Hartsville, S.C.	Step Van
Ray Shelton	SC	Greenville, S.C.	Mauldin, S.C.	Flatbed
Tommy Winston	SC	Greenville, S.C.	Greenville, S.C.	Tank Truck
Mike Whitehead	SD	Sioux Falls, S.D.	Lennox, S.D.	Tank Truck
Tony Ellison	TN	Nashville, Tenn.	Mt. Juliet, Tenn.	Straight Truck
Dave Magee	TN	Dresden, Tenn.	Huntingdon, Tenn.	Tank Truck
James Sheehan	TN	Nashville, Tenn.	Hendersonville, Tenn.	Step Van
Aryn Pittaway	TX	Fort Worth, Texas	Arlington, Texas	Step Van
Tamra O’Mealy	UT	West Valley City, Utah	Salt Lake City, Utah	Step Van
Mark Brundage	VA	Herndon, Va.	Leesburg, Va.	Step Van
Andre Kazouh	VA	Winchester, Va.	Carnegie, Pa.	5-Axle
Cass Bresette	VT	Burlington, Vt.	Barre, Vt.	5-Axle Sleeper
Chris Goddard	VT	Williston, Vt.	Burlington, Vt.	5-Axle
Marty Goodell	VT	Burlington, Vt.	Wilmington, Vt.	Straight Truck
Bruce Kennedy	VT	Williston, Vt.	Williston, Vt.	Step Van
Christopher Novak	VT	Williston, Vt.	Williston, Vt.	Flatbed
Bob Hinds	WA	Everett, Wash.	Mt. Vernon, Wash.	Step Van
Jim Burmesch	WI	Milwaukee, Wis.	Port Washington, Wis.	Flatbed
Tim Cole	WI	Milwaukee, Wis.	Muskego, Wis.	Step Van
Bill Adkins	WV	Huntington, W. Va.	South Point, Ohio	4-Axle
Jerry Pugh	WV	Parkersburg, W. Va.	Marietta, Ohio	Flatbed

In 2010, drivers representing FedEx captured National Champion titles in the Flatbed, 3-Axle, 4-Axle, Straight Truck, Twins and Step Van classes. In addition, FedEx drivers earned six additional top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $39 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.