When the 15th edition of Safety Drive For A Cure opens its NTDC-style competition this Saturday, Brent and Laura Darnell will have already been onsite at the UPS Smart Hub in Atlanta before the sun rises. For Brent and Laura, along with a legion of volunteers led by chief organizer Herschel Evans, Saturday’s charity benefit for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, will represent a coordinated effort that has been almost a year in the planning and execution.

In this edition of the podcast, we talk with Brent and Laura as they entered the final week of preparations. We also spend some time learning about how deep trucking’s roots are a part of their family traditions, with Brent being a fourth-generation professional driver. In addition, Brent and Laura shared how their family has become involved in Brent’s preparations for the Georgia TDC over years, and they share their memories of Brent’s third-place finish in the 3-Axle Division last summer at NTDC 2025.

SAFETY DRIVE NOTES: There are still some openings for volunteers to help onsite in the Atlanta area on March 13-14. If you are going to be in the Atlanta area this weekend and are interested, you can sign up to become a volunteer by clicking here. You can also support the drivers who have entered the competition or the cause in general by making a donation. You can learn more by visiting Safety Drive event page by clicking here. To stay updated on what’s happening with Safety Drive you can visit the Safety Drive’s Facebook Page, by clicking here.

NEW FRIEND OF THE PODCAST SPONSOR: PodWheels is honored to welcome the Lutzie 43 Foundation as a Friend of the NTDC 2026 Podcast Series. Founded to honor the legacy of Philip Lutzenkirchen, the Lutzie 43 Foundation is dedicated to make sure that the tragedy that took his life would never have to be repeated. Philip was a standout athlete, a beloved teammate, and a man of tremendous character. Today, the foundation that carries his name is working to change the driving culture across the Southeast and beyond by tackling distracted driving, impaired driving, and unsafe habits behind the wheel. To learn more about the Lutzie 43 Foundation and how you can use 43 Key Seconds to run through an important safety checklist before starting your vehicle, visit Lutzie43.org.

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