Safety Drive For A Cure 2026 became a memorable trip to Atlanta for Paul Barnes of UPS. The reigning Illinois State Sleeper Division Champion who finished sixth at NTDC 2025, Paul was part of a record field of over 250 professional drivers who helped Safety Drive exceed the organizers’ fundraising goal by delivering $75,548 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Now, in its 15th year, Safety Drive For A Cure has raised over $491,000 with a charity-benefit driving competition modeled after the NTDC that regularly draws State and National champions from across the country.

With his combined efforts on the course, in the pre-trip phase and taking the written test, Paul is traveling home to Illinois with the Sleeper Berth Championship and the day’s top competitive trophy, the Grand Champions’ Award from Safety Drive 2026. For this episode of the podcast, PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson spent the day onsite at the UPS Smart Hub in Atlanta covering Safety Drive 2026, and Greg talked with Paul just minutes after the UPS veteran driver was announced as this year’s Safety Drive Grand Champion.

SAFETY DRIVE is still accepting donations as the organization led by America’s Road Team Captain Herschel Evans continues to work to drive their all-time fundraising total for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation to the $500,000 mark. If you would like to make a donation to Safety Drive, please click here.

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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