2019 Montana Truck Driving Championships
NTDC 2019 RESULTS:
| Classification | Driver | Company | Score | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Axle | Mark Cole | FedEx Freight | 330 | 8 |
| 4-Axle | Lee Eastburn | XPO Logistics | 161 | 44 |
| 5-Axle | Lyle Turville | Decker Truck Line | 120 | 48 |
| Flatbed | Scott Courtney | XPO Logistics | 161 | 43 |
| Sleeper Berth | Charles Rogers | Wilson Logistics | 238 | 17 |
| Tank Truck | Russ James | YRC Freight | 125 | 44 |
| Twins | Scott Lorio | FedEx Freight | 262 | 12 |
| Step Van | Rob Brown | FedEx Ground | 313 | 16 |
2019 Recap
Mark Cole of FedEx Freight found himself in the winner's circle for the second year in a row as 3-Axle champion, then added the Grand Champion title June 15 at the Montana Truck Driving Championshps in Helena.
"The event went great this year," said Todd Mulcahy, Safety Coordinator for Motor Carriers of Montana. "The weather was nice the whole time, which is always a big concern this time of year in Montana."
READ MORE: Two-Time 3-Axle Champ Mark Cole Adds Grand Champion Title in Montana
FedEx Freight's Scott Lorio won Twins, FedEx Ground's Rob Brown won Step Van and YRC Freight's Russ James took the Tank Truck title.
Cole
Rounding out the winners list were Lee Eastburn of XPO Logistics in 4-Axle, Lyle Turville of Decker Truck Line in 5-Axle, Scott Courtney of XPO Logistics in Flatbed and Charles Rogers of Wilson Logistics in Sleeper Berth.
All of the class winners will go on to the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships Aug. 14-17 in Pittsburgh.
2019 RESULTS:
| Classification | Winner | Company |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Champion | Mark Cole | FedEx Freight |
| 3-Axle | Mark Cole | FedEx Freight |
| 4-Axle | Lee Eastburn | XPO Logistics |
| 5-Axle | Lyle Turville | Decker Truck Line |
| Flatbed | Scott Courtney | XPO Logistics |
| Sleeper Berth | Charles Rogers | Wilson Logistics |
| Tank Truck | Russ James | YRC Freight |
| Twins | Scott Lorio | FedEx Freight |
| Step Van | Rob Brown | FedEx Ground |
2019 Photo Gallery
Click image or click here for 2019 photo gallery
2019 Preview
When: June 15, 2019
Where: Helena, Mont.
Field: Approximately 53 drivers are expected to compete in eight categories.
Preview: This year's field is an experienced one.
Two drivers who went on to compete at the National Truck Driving Championships last year both finished ninth in Columbus, Ohio. Mark Cole of FedEx Freight will be back for the state competition in the 3-Axle, and Kenneth Painter of XPO Logistics will return in Tank Truck.
Duane Bushman of Watkins and Shepard Trucking is also returning to defend his 2018 win in 5-Axle. He finished No. 15 last year at nationals.
2014 Grand Champion Martin Anzik is returning. Past champions in their divisions who are returning this year include Erik Lilleberg of FedEx Ground, Steve Marceau of XPO Logistics and Tom Miller of FedEx Freight.
2018 Grand Champion Tracey James of FedEx Ground will not be back to defend his overall title and Step Van victory. He went for a fourth time to nationals last year, where he placed No. 24.
More info: Motor Carriers of Montana
2018 Recap
For Someone With a Late Start in Trucking, Montana's James is Coming On Strong
Safety and hard work. For Montana Grand Champion Tracey James of Jaybird Delivery and FedEx Ground, these are not only an integral part of truck driving championships, they’re integral to trucking. At Montana’s truck driving championship, James finished first in Step Van, earning a ticket to nationals this August in Columbus, Ohio. It will be his third time participating at nationals.
James
Although the 52-year-old James, from Helena, Mont., has been driving professionally for over 20 years and runs his own trucking company, Jaybird Delivery, his trucking career didn’t have a conventional start.
“I started delivering pizzas when I was in the Army in Texas. My stepfather was a logger and I did some work for him,” James said. “I ended up getting injured in the woods and the opportunity to become a contractor fell into my realm of things when it comes to working and driving because that’s basically what I did all of the time.”
Mark Cole of FedEx Freight placed No. 9 in 3-Axle at the National Truck Driving Championships, while Kenneth Painter of XPO Logistics placed No. 9 in Tank Truck, making them the state's top finishers.
2018 RESULTS:
| Classification | Winner | Company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Champion | Tracey James | FedEx Ground | |
| Sleeper Berth | Charles Rogers | Wilson Logistics | |
| 3-Axle | Mark Cole | FedEx Freight | |
| 5-Axle | Duane Bushman | Watkins and Shepard Trucking | |
| Tank Truck | Kenneth Painter | XPO Logistics | |
| 4-Axle | Steve Clingman | Old Dominion Freight Line | |
| Step Van | Tracey James | FedEx Ground | |
| Flatbed | Robert Ellinger | DSV Road Transport | |
| Twins | Jess Seward | Old Dominion Freight Line | |
Click image or click here for 2018 photo gallery -->
