Wes Salley leads FedEx Freight sweep at TMCSuperTech

FedEx Freight Senior Technician Wes Salley was grand champion at the 2026 TMCSuperTech competition. (American Trucking Associations)

PITTSBURGH — FedEx Freight Senior Technician Wes Salley entered the 2026 TMCSuperTech competition hoping to perform well enough to be proud of his effort. He left as grand champion, leading a FedEx Freight sweep of the top three overall spots at the skills competition held during American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council Fall Meeting on Sept. 21.

Salley was joined on the overall podium by FedEx Freight Senior Technician Kelby Bentley, who finished second, and Senior Technician Mitchell Buelow, who placed third. Salley’s victory also earned him the inaugural Champion of States award, which recognized the Texas technician as the state champion with the highest overall score.

“The competition this year is extremely fierce,” Salley said after earning grand champion honors. “A lot of the guys from FedEx Freight put in a lot of hours and a lot of work. … I feel that I’ve exceeded my own expectations.”

Salley also captured first place in the fasteners station. He credited his performance to an intensive training regimen and a strong culture of collaboration within the FedEx Freight team.

“We spend quite a bit of time training. We get to know each other really well,” Salley said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie with the team. We put in a lot of hours outside of just work hours to get ready for this, to do what we do.”

That shared commitment, he said, helped the team sharpen its skills while building the confidence needed to perform under pressure.

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This year’s field was narrowed through written exams and hands-on work across multiple skills stations. (American Trucking Associations)

This year’s format added to that pressure. Salley said the move to a single day of hands-on competition tested competitors’ stamina and focus.

“The single day hands-on was definitely an adjustment. It made for a long day,” he said, adding that the key was mental discipline. “Keeping focused, keeping steady, and not letting one rough station or one bad patch carry through the rest of the day, keeping your eyes on the prize, made for a good win.”

(American Trucking Associations via YouTube)

Salley said he felt strong at several stations even when he did not finish first, and he expects some results may exceed his own impressions once he reviews the scores. He said the grand champion title represents both a personal milestone and a reflection of the broader FedEx Freight program supporting its competitors.

This year’s field was narrowed through written exams and hands-on work across multiple skills stations, said Randy Patterson, TMCSuperTech competition chairman. Patterson reminded attendees that SuperTech is far more than a “one-day deal,” noting that organizers begin planning the next year’s event before the current competition ends. He said equipment begins arriving on Thursday, and the exhibit hall is converted into a competition floor over Friday and Saturday. Patterson said 169 judges and scorecard runners supported 101 competitors across 24 stations, backed by a core team that works year-round on scoring, logistics and station design.

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A judge watches a competitor. There were 101 competitors across 24 stations. (American Trucking Associations)

“We spend all year long preparing for you because you deserve it,” he told the technicians during the awards ceremony.

Among the most demanding contests was the electronic engine diagnostics station, where last year’s grand champion, FedEx Freight’s Matthew Sloan, earned top honors.

The team title capped a strong night for FedEx Freight, with Salley and Buelow winning the TMCSuperTech Team category. FedEx Freight ranks No. 4 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.

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Corbin White (second from left) won the TMCFutureTech competition. (American Trucking Associations)

In one of the most competitive TMCFutureTech contests in recent years, Corbin White of the University of Northwestern Ohio captured first place after a tiebreaking scenario with second-place finisher Madison Boone of Forsyth Technical Community College. Boone finished second in last year’s competition. Jeffrey Jackson of Francis Tuttle Technology Center placed third.

FedEx Freight led all fleets with six station wins, followed by TravelCenters of America with five and Hogan Truck Leasing with four. Clark Power Services captured two station awards, while Publix Super Markets, Feliciano Fleet Services and Transwest Truck each earned one station win.