Truck Driving Rodeo

The North Texas Chapter of the American Truckers
Association held their regional championships in Fort
Worth today. The competition was held at the Fed Ex
terminal off of I-820 on the north side of town. There
was a lot of companies represented, but Wal-Mart had
nine drivers entered from the local competition. I retired
last October, but traveled down to check on my boys. Todays
competition was composed of a written test,..a physical
examination of the truck for defects & violations...and
the actual driving of the truck through an obstacle course.
I am proud to tell you that my friend Rick Pledger won
first place in the competition. Rick and I have been friends
since 2001 when he beat me out of the State Championship
on his way to the National Championship. This year Rick
still has to go to the state competition in Bryan, Texas
later this summer, but we are confident that is just a formality.
He wants that second national title to put himself in an elite
category among Wal-Mart drivers. Earlier in this blog I told
you about a friend of mine that was almost killed in a
motorcycle accident. That was Rick. Three broken vertebrae
in his neck and two more in his back. Doctors told us he was
within an inch of killing himself. The back still gives him trouble,
but today's First Place plaque will make the pain subside somewhat.