XPO Inc. Announces 36 Drivers Competing in the 2026 National Truck Driving Championships
XPO Inc. (NYSE: XPO), a prominent player in North America's freight transportation sector, has officially announced that 36 of its skilled drivers will be participating in the upcoming National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC). This prestigious event will take place from August 11 to 14 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcasing the country's top talent in the trucking industry.
1. A Celebration of Safety and Skill
The NTDC, organized by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), is renowned as the “Super Bowl of Safety” in the trucking world. Since its inception in 1937, the competition has evolved into a benchmark for excellence, inviting hundreds of the nation’s most accomplished professional drivers to compete for the coveted title of National Grand Champion.
Mario Harik, XPO’s chairman and CEO, expressed pride in the company’s representation at this year’s event. "The National Truck Driving Championships recognize the best professional drivers in our industry, and we're proud to have 36 XPO drivers competing this year," said Harik. "Their commitment to safety, discipline, and excellence reflects the high standards they uphold every day for our customers. We look forward to cheering them on in Pittsburgh."
2. XPO's Competitive Edge
The 36 drivers representing XPO come from 23 states and boast an impressive collective experience, having participated in the NTDC over 200 times. To qualify for the national competition, each driver had to win their vehicle class at their state championships while maintaining an accident-free driving record for at least one year.
State Grand Champions
Among the participants, five standout drivers have earned the title of Grand Champion in their respective state competitions. Each has achieved a remarkable milestone of at least one million consecutive accident-free miles during their tenure at XPO. The five state Grand Champions include:
- Chris Poynor (Washington): Competing in his 10th nationals, Chris is a two-time Grand Champion for Washington with over two million accident-free miles in 25 years.
- Curt McMellon (Louisiana): A seventh-time national competitor, Curt was named Rookie of the Year at his first Louisiana Truck Driving Championships and has surpassed one million accident-free miles since joining XPO in 2010.
- Ernie Budlowski (Connecticut): Making his 15th appearance at nationals, Ernie has driven over two million accident-free miles in his 31-year career at XPO.
- Joe Hicks (Rhode Island): An eight-time Rhode Island Grand Champion, Joe is participating in his 12th nationals with over one million accident-free miles since 2007.
- Steve Iburg (Iowa): Competing for the sixth time, Steve achieved two million accident-free miles earlier this year, marking 23 years of safe driving with XPO.
3. Full List of XPO's 2026 NTDC Finalists
Here is the complete list of XPO's finalists by state and vehicle class:
| State | Name | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Andres Orozco | 4-Axle |
| California | Jimmie Roy | Straight Truck |
| Connecticut | Ernie Budlowski | Sleeper |
| Connecticut | Tom Griffin | Straight Truck |
| Connecticut | John Brown | Twins |
| Idaho | Ben Scholes | 4-Axle |
| Idaho | Josh Jetton | Straight Truck |
| Idaho | Jeff Halford | 3-Axle |
| Iowa | David Wollbrink | 3-Axle |
| Iowa | Steve Iburg | Twins |
| Louisiana | Curt McMellon | Tank Truck |
| Massachusetts | Rich Sweeney | Flatbed |
| Michigan | Ron Looks | Straight Truck |
| Minnesota | Nick Farness | Twins |
| Montana | Bruce Winter | 4-Axle |
| Montana | Dustin Lofts | 3-Axle |
| Montana | Scott Courtney | Tank Truck |
| Nevada | Brandon Hardy | 5-Axle |
| New Jersey | Lorenso Ramos | Straight Truck |
| New Jersey | Miguel Valle | Twins |
| New Mexico | James Martinez | Flatbed |
| New York | Dave May | Straight Truck |
| North Dakota | Brad Morrow | 5-Axle |
| North Dakota | Jon Simonson | Flatbed |
| Ohio | Matthew Keeney | 4-Axle |
| Pennsylvania | Tommy Pearce | 3-Axle |
| Rhode Island | Joe Daccache | Twins |
| Rhode Island | Joe Hicks | 3-Axle |
| Vermont | Lenny Trifaro | Tank Truck |
| Virginia | Robbie Cottrell | 3-Axle |
| Washington | Chris Poynor | 3-Axle |
| Washington | Ray Sitton | Tank Truck |
| Washington | Robert Dean | Flatbed |
| Washington | Andrey Grishchuk | 4-Axle |
| West Virginia | Larry Gorby | Tank Truck |
| Wisconsin | Jeremy Steger | 4-Axle |
For more information about each competitor and their journey, visit the NTDC webpage on XPO's official site.
4. About XPO
XPO, Inc. is a leader in asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation in North America, efficiently managing the movement of 16 billion pounds of freight annually through its proprietary technology. With 594 locations and 37,000 employees across North America and Europe, XPO serves 55,000 customers. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.
As the NTDC approaches, XPO's community looks forward to celebrating safety, skill, and the hard work of its dedicated drivers on a national stage.
