In one of the five best episodes within the catalog of nearly 250 shows that we have presented in the past three years of this series, 2025 NTDC Grand Champion David Comings took some time in mid-March to have an extended conversation with Roland Bolduc, a two-time NTDC Grand Champion. Last year in Minneapolis, David and Roland finished first and second respectively in the 5-Axle Class, setting the stage for David to earn the first National Grand Championship of his career.

During this extended feature interview that begins around the 12:00 mark of the show, Roland takes David back to the journey of becoming North Dakota’s first-ever NTDC Grand Champion before placing the focus on the preparations and approach by David in his effort to return to the Nationals this summer in Pittsburgh. As you’ll hear, David, who will be competing this weekend at the North Dakota State TDC, is taking nothing for granted and he knows that getting back to the Nationals will demand that he is at his best. 

David and Roland talk about how David returned for a second consecutive year to compete at Safety Drive For A Cure, providing him with a valuable pre-season benchmark. David also notes the key contributions of his wife, Judy, who has become a bit of a coach and important sounding board during David’s practice sessions. This episode is a rare opportunity to hear two NTDC Grand Champions discuss what it takes to prepare for competition and how they approach meeting the moment. You’ll hear how David got his start in the trucking industry and how he was first introduced to the NTDC program through the TDC in North Dakota.

This conversation has a number of memorable moments and valuable observations, including the discussion that Roland and David have regarding the indelible impact that the NTDC program has made over its nearly 90-year history to promote the highest levels of safety on our nation’s roads.

FRIEND OF THE PODCAST SPONSOR:  The Lutzie 43 Foundation is our Friend of the Podcast for this episode of the NTDC 2026 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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