Tennessee Native Punches First Ticket to Nationals
FedEx Freight driver Gary Luster is looking to capitalize on his first Grand Champion win that he picked up April 27 at the Tennessee Truck Driving Championships.
鈥淚 felt like after it was all done, that I was in the running to place, but never expected to place,鈥 Luster said. 鈥淲hen they called my name for first, I was in shock.鈥
PHOTOS: 2019 Tennessee Truck Driving Championships
Born and raised in east Tennessee, Luster started his career at 16 working at a local trucking shop alongside his father and mentor. 鈥淭he passion set in, and I have been doing it ever since,鈥 said Luster, who has almost 30 years of driving under his belt.
The 2019听National Truck Driving Championships
Qualifiers | Map | Photos | Video
奥丑辞:听Winners from nine categories at the state level have听advanced to the national competition, where a Grand Champion will be crowned
奥丑补迟:听Contestants are judged on a written examination and their driving skills
When: Aug. 14-17
Where: Pittsburgh
Stationed out of the Kingsport Terminal, Luster started in 1997 as a city driver and worked his way into a road position, where he hauls twins.
Luster and the guys at his terminal put in a good deal of time practicing the course, running through pre-trip problems and studying the 鈥淔acts for Drivers鈥 book.
鈥淓verything just went right this year,鈥 Luster said. He competed in Sleeper Berth for the first two years, and this year marked his second competing in 3-Axle.
鈥淚t was a real difficult course this year,鈥 Luster said. He scored on four of the six course elements and earned a 90 out of 100 on his pre-trip, finding nine out of the 10 defects. 鈥淵ou can practice and practice, but it鈥檚 either your day or it鈥檚 not,鈥 Luster said.
TENNESSEE ARCHIVE PAGE:听Previews, recaps and more听
Looking ahead to the National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburgh, Luster definitely sees room for improvement before the Aug. 14-17 event.
鈥淒efinitely going to be studying more in the book,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat was probably my weakest [area].鈥
Expectations are high, with Luster keeping his eye on the big prize.
鈥淢y expectation is to win Grand Champion, but there are 400-some more drivers that are going to be there thinking the same thing,鈥 Luster said.
2019听SCHEDULE:听State-by-state list.
This will be his first time competing at NTDC. 鈥淛ust having the opportunity to go and compete is enough, the rest will just be icing on the cake,鈥 Luster said.
Luster鈥檚 wife and daughter will be accompanying him in Pittsburgh, cheering him on as he goes for gold representing his terminal and FedEx Freight.
The following drivers also will advance to the national competition from Tennessee:
- 3-Axle:听Gary Luster, FedEx Freight
- 4-Axle:听Michael Brewer, Old Dominion Freight Line
- 5-Axle:听Howell Argo,听FedEx Freight
- Flatbed:听Josh Arwood, Old Dominion Freight Line
- Sleeper Berth:听Robert Moxley, Titan Transfer Inc.听
- Tank Truck:听Thomas Vandivort, The Martin-Brower Co.
- Twins:听Ronny Hamill, FedEx Freight
- Straight Truck:听Christopher Sargent, FedEx Freight
- Step Van:听James Sheehan, FedEx Ground