Mike Markham, a driver for Old Dominion Freight Lines and a resident of Belpre, Ohio, was named grand champion of the West Virginia Trucking Association’s annual Truck Driving Championship held recently.
Markham also won the grand champion title in 2023, and won this year’s tank truck class.
Also during the event, Nick Backes of Hurricane, West Virginia, who drives for Pitt Ohio, was honored with the West Virginia Professional Driver of the Year Award.
Jeremy Gray, a driver with Old Dominion Freight Lines and a Williamstown, West Virginia, won the West Virginia Public Service Commission Driver of the Year Award.
The contest’s pre-trip inspection award wen to Mike Roberts, of Eleanor, West Virginia, and a driver for XPO.
The Rookie of the Year was Walmart Transportation’s David Roberts, from St. Albans, West Virginia.
The Team Champion Award was won by Pitt Ohio.
Class winners were:
- Straight Truck – Alexander Atkins, St. Albans, West Virginia, Pitt Ohio
- 3-Axle Tractor Semi-trailer – Mike Roberts, Eleanor, West Virginia, XPO
- 4-Axle Tractor Semi-trailer – Cole Miltenberger, Ridgeley, West Virginia, Pitt Ohio
- 5-Axle Van – Steve Looney, St. Albans, West Virginia, ABF Freight
- Tank Truck – Mike Markham, Belpre, Ohio, Old Dominion Freight Lines
- Flatbed – Justin Moody, Beckley, West Virginia, Walmart Transportation
- Twin Trailers – Vince May, Sitka, Kentucky, FedEx Freight
- Sleeper Berth – David Roberts, St. Albans, West Virginia, Walmart Transportation
- Step Van – Brandon Wuletich, Caldwell, Ohio, FedEx Freight
All first-place drivers will compete in the American Trucking Association’s National Truck Driving Championship taking place in Minneapolis, Aug. 20-23.
