The Bulldog muscled its way to the top at the 2010 National Truck Driving Championships, held in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 3-7. Carl Krites, a Con-way Freight professional truck driver, outmaneuvered and outscored the competition in a Mack Pinnacle model, earning the title 2010 Grand Champion.
Mack was performing at its best in the individual tank truck driving competition, with Krites winning first place, giving him the best overall score of the event. Leo Flack of A. Duie Pyle drove a Mack Pinnacle to a second-place finish in the tank truck class. Rounding out the Bulldog’s strong showing, John Smith Jr., a driver for FedEx Ground, earned first place in the Flatbed category driving a Mack Pinnacle.
The championships, sponsored by American Trucking Associations, are an opportunity for professional truck drivers to showcase their skills and knowledge. The competition includes nine classes: Straight Truck, Three-Axle, Four-Axle, Five-Axle, Sleeper Berth, Twins, Flatbed, Tank Truck and Step Van. Drivers choose the model of truck in which they compete. A Mack Pinnacle model was offered in the Flatbed, Tank Truck, Five-Axle and Sleeper Berth competitions, courtesy of local Mack dealer Columbus Truck & Equipment. The truck Grand Champion Krites drove was a Mack Pinnacle DayCab equipped with a Mack MP7 engine and Mack ClearTech selective catalytic reduction technology.
“Our customers know that Mack can handle tough conditions, but the NTDC showed how well Mack handles tough competition,” says Kevin Flaherty, Mack senior vice president, U.S. and Canada. “The Mack Pinnacle model, driven to a Grand Champion victory, combines our traditional reliability and durability with the latest advancements in technology and design, including an interior environment based on comprehensive research into customer preferences and driver ergonomics. Mr. Krites clearly made the right choice, and we congratulate him on his achievement.”
