UPS driver Gragg Wilson from Nevada earned the prestigious grand champion title
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the American Trucking Associations announced that James Gragg Wilson of Nevada, a professional driver for United Parcel Service, was named the Bendix Grand Champion of the 2023 National Truck Driving Championships. The competition took place Aug. 16-19 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
“Gragg delivered a flawless performance to take home our industry’s top prize and earn the title of Grand Champion,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “This accomplishment epitomizes his entire career, with 37 years and more than 2.5 million miles of accident-free driving.”
“All of the professional drivers who competed this week are phenomenal ambassadors for our industry. They are shining examples of highway safety, and their commitment to excellence makes us proud,” Spear said.
Known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” this annual event dates back to 1937. This year’s competitors accumulated more than 643 million accident-free miles in their professional driving careers.
To clinch the esteemed title of 2023 Bendix Grand Champion, Wilson’s driving accuracy and knowledge of truck safety was scored the highest of 418 state champion professional truck drivers from 49 states competing in all vehicle classes this week.
Wilson, who competed in the tank truck division, has been a professional truck driver for 37 years and has driven more than 2.5 million accident-free miles. He has previously won the Nevada State Championship 13 times in six different classes, and he has also won Grand Champion five times in the State of Nevada. Wilson was the 2019 Nevada Driver of the Year.
ATA also recognized Myron Means of Wyoming, a professional driver for Old Dominion Freight Line, as the 2023 Rookie of the Year. Additionally, the team of drivers from Connecticut produced the best collective score and were honored as the top state delegation.
Professionalism and…
