Mark Cole wins Nebraska Truck Driving Championships; drives for ODFL

An Old Dominion Freight Line driver won the grand champion title at the 2025 Nebraska Truck Driving Championships last weekend at Fonner Park in Grand Island.

The 2025 grand champion was Mark Cole, who also won the three-axle class.

The Nebraska Trucking Association organized the tw-day event.

Joe McDonnell of XPO Logistics and Garrett Campbell of FedEx both earned the Rookie of the Year Award (first-time participants with the highest overall score in all four parts of the competition). 

The Professional Excellence Award, given to the driver with the highest written test, went to Todd Gimpel with FedEx Freight.

Jacob Friederich of Lyman-Richey Corporation won the Bucky Buchholtz Top Driver Award. The award is named for Buchholtz, a former Trooper and long-time championship committee member. It goes to the driver with the highest score on the driving course. 

Clinton Rast, who drives for ABF Freight System, Inc., won the Everett Vehicle Condition Award. The award, named in honor of a long-time Championships committee member, goes to the driver with the highest score on the pre-trip inspection.

The Jerry Wessel Award, named in honor of a long-time NTDC committee member, is awarded to drivers who have competed or volunteered at the Championships for at least five years and receive the highest rating for professionalism, industry knowledge, and attitude. This year’s winner was Thomas Canning from Bellevue, NE, representing Old Dominion Freight Line.

The event also included a competition for mixer truck drivers. Jacob Friederich of Carter Lake, Iowa who drives the Lyman-Richey Corporation won the class, which was presented in cooperation with the Nebraska Concrete & Aggregates Association.

2025 NTDC top finishers in each class include:

Straight class:

1. Sam Wilson, Grand Island, Nebraska, XPO Logistics
2. Clinton Rast, Omaha, Nebraska, ABF Freight System, Inc.
3. Michael Lemay, Ralston, Nebraska, Greater Omaha Express

Three-axle class:

1. Mark Cole, Lincoln, Nebraska, Old Dominion Freight Line
2. Joseph Busch, Neola, Iowa ABF Freight System, Inc.
3. Tim Hallsted, North Platte, Nebraska, Walmart Transportation, LLC

Four-axle class:

1. Paul Badgett, Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2. James Dotson, North Platte, Nebraska, FedEx Freight, Inc.
3. Derek Ward, Sutton, Nebraska, XPO Logistics

Five-axle class:

1. Carolina Gallegos, Omaha, Nebraska, Hill Brothers Transportation
2. Joe McDonnell, Hastings, Nebraska, XPO Logistics
3. Thomas Rott, Hastings, Nebraska, Grand Island Express, Inc.

Five-axle sleeper class:

1. Blair Smith, Comstock, Nebraska,Walmart Transportation, LLC
2. John Putney, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Greater Omaha Express
3. Robert Elder, Ulysses, Nebraska, Schulz Transportation

Tank truck class: 

1. Pat Crumb, Lincoln, Nebraska, Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc.
2. Cassandra Wright, Omaha, Nebraska,Wynne Transportation Services
3. Craig Daniels, Columbus, Georgia Crete Carrier Corporation

Flatbed class:

1. George Chaney, Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2. Christopher Corbett, Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Old Dominion Freight Line
3. Scott Deering, Lenoir City, Tennessee, Chief Carriers, Inc.

Twin-trailer class:

1. Todd Gimpel, Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight, Inc.
2. Richard Boyd, Papillion, Nebraska, Crete Carrier Corporation
3. Paul Smith, Omaha, Nebraska, ABF Freight System, Inc.

Mixer truck class:

1. Jacob Friederich, Carter Lake, Iowa Lyman-Richey Corporation
2. Gregory Burroughs, Lincoln, Nebraska, Husker Ready Mixed Concrete
3. Randy Walters, Omaha, Nebraska, Lyman-Richey Corporation

Step van class: 

1. Garrett Campbell, Grand Island, Nebraska, FedEx
2. Korey Clifton, Plattsmouth, Nebraska, FedEx
3. Charles Tockey, Hastings, Nebraska, Grand Island Express, Inc.

Team winners:

1. XPO Logistics
2. FedEx Freight
3. Walmart Transportation

The nine class winners will attend the American Trucking Association’s National Truck Driving Championships in Minneapolis, Aug. 20-23. The mixer truck class first-place winner advances to the National Mixer Driver Championship in Orlando, Florid, on Oct. 11.

The Nebraska State Patrol Inspector Championships are held alongside the NTDC competition each year and include a personal interview, a tabletop hazardous materials exercise, and various hands-on inspections. 

Sergeant Matt Ramsey from Omaha,, earned first-place honors, while Investigator Kris Hunzeker from Nebraska City, Nebraska, received runner-up honors. Ramsey will now represent Nebraska in the North American Inspector Championships held in conjunction with the ATA’s National Truck Driving Championships.