“I just want to have fun, and I want to cheer on my other drivers that are out there,” FedEx Freight driver Ronald Metternick says of the camaraderie at truck driving events. (FedEx Corp.)
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Hardly anyone predicted Ronald Metternick’s national 4-axle title victory in 2016. And yet the FedEx Freight superstar known for exuding friendship and goodwill managed to arrive at the winner’s podium.
Metternick, this year’s champion in the 4-axle at the Michigan Truck Driving Championships, is positioning himself for what he expects will be an exhilarating and precious weeklong family reunion.
Winning his vehicle class in the Wolverine State on June 9 secured his fifth trip to American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships, to be held in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 16-19.
While the 86th annual “Super Bowl of Safety” this month is a competitive arena, for Metternick the forum offers an opportunity to catch up with colleagues, brush up on his skills and laugh with longtime friends. If he wins a national title again, he’ll take it.
The Road to the 2023 National Truck Driving Championships
State Schedule | NTDC Qualifiers | Map of State Champions | Photo Gallery
Who: Winners from nine categories at the state level who have advanced to the national competition, where a Grand Champion will be crowned
What: Contestants are judged on a written exam, pre-trip inspection and driving skills
When: Aug. 16-19
Where: Columbus, Ohio
“I just go out and have fun. I just want to have fun, and I want to cheer on my other drivers that are out there — everybody to have a good time,” the professional driver of more than four decades told Transport Topics recently.
Metternick had more to say about the camaraderie that is so pervasive at trucking competitions.
“I’ve met people from all over the country, and I’m still good friends with a lot of [them]. The ones you know, I try to stay up with all of them that I can, he continued. “And we all kind of work together to help out the new drivers coming into this. And to pay it forward to them and giving them tips on the safety and how to do different things.”
Metternick’s favorite part of the tournament is the driving course. That motivates him to incorporate his training into his day-to-day routine.
Getting to Know You
Name: Ronald Metternick
Age: 63
Company: FedEx Freight
Vehicle: 4-axle
Favorite Movie: “El Dorado” starring John Wayne
Sports Hero: Former Major League Baseball player Kirk Gibson
What’s the last song you heard: “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
What’s the best part about NTDC: “Being there with all the champions and seeing how the crowd gets into it.”
Something people don’t know about you: “I competed in a belly flop contest in Mexico.”
All-time favorite vacation: Frankenmuth, Mich.
As he put it, “Trying to maneuver all these different challenges at these places because some of them are pretty tight. So you do the best you can; just take your time and be safe about it.”
His training philosophy is keep it fun. And he always makes time to enjoy a fun training outing.
“I pretty much figure I train every day because every time I get behind the wheel — every day is a different challenge it seems like,” he said. “And besides that, I’m training a little bit when I get back in the yard or in the mornings when I get there.”
And having a good time with it.
Other winners:
Grand champion: Chad Williams, Old Dominion Freight Line
3-Axle: Rudy Gauna, Old Dominion Freight Line
5-Axle: Roger Lester, Independent
Flatbed: Mark Behr, ABF Freight
Sleeper Berth: Wayne Gootee, Walmart
Step Van: Eric Halchishak, Walmart
Straight Truck: Thomas Truskowski, FedEx Freight
Tank Truck: Daniel Ross, Independent
Twins: Chad Williams, Old Dominion Freight Line
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