The Lifestyle Lane

Gragg Wilson opened NTDC 2024 with a speech to all of this year’s competitors that reminded the field of 400-plus professional drivers just how special a journey they made to Indianapolis. In this conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Gragg looks back at...

NTDC 2024 marked the first time that Dennis Dellinger had made the trip to watch the national competition. Serving as First Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, Dennis had the opportunity to welcome the 400-plus competitors on the opening day of NTDC...

In this episode, we get to know Ritch Fundell, who earned National Runner-Up honors in the Three-Axle Division during NTDC 2024. Ritch is now in his 26th year as a professional behind the wheel, with 20 of those being a part of the FedEx Freight fleet. Speaking with...

With this episode, we catch up with Ina Daly, the only woman to win a National Championship in the history of the NTDC. At this year’s competition, Ina was once again a standout, reaching the finals in the Flatbed Division. Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo leads Ina on a...

One of the true highlights of NTDC 2024 took place just off the driving course during the competition’s third day when the organizing committee brought together nine of the NTDC Legends who have won the title of Grand Champion. Our NTDC Podcast was on hand as some of...

As the competitors from five of the driving classifications hit the driving course, our podcast team of PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson and Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero worked to take our listeners inside the happenings at NTDC 2024....

As we hit the ground in Indianapolis for the NTDC 2024, our podcast was on hand for the orientation and welcome for this year’s field of competitors. In this episode of the podcast, Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero and PodWheels Executive Producer Greg...

As NTDC 2024 gets underway in Indianapolis, our podcast presents the interview Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero had earlier this year with NTDC Legend Ray Simon, the only competitor in the history of the event to win three National Grand Championships....

With NTDC 2024 set to open on August 24, our podcast brings you three of the State Grand Champions who will be in Indianapolis representing FedEx. You will hear interviews with Hobie Eirich from Tennessee, Mike Light from Pennsylvania and Matthew Boenisch from...

On August 9, our podcast had the privilege of welcoming special guest Patti Gillette, who is the Chairwoman of the NTDC Organizing Committee for the 2024 event. Patti was very generous with her time as we covered a number of topics of interest for the participants who...

Question: Where can you find the reigning National Grand Champion, a history-making National Champion and a Lifetime Member of the NTDC Organizing Committee in one place? The answer is this episode of the NTDC 2024 Podcast. Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene...

Old Dominion is one of the handful of companies that has continued to place an increased focus in the past few years on encouraging and supporting drivers in their efforts to compete in state truck driving championships across the country. Over the past three years,...

Connecticut’s Ernie Budlowski is in the spotlight as we count down the final days until the start of NTDC 2024 in Indianapolis. Securing his third State Grand Championship earlier this year, Ernie will be making his 13th trip to the national championships when they...

Richard Sweeney, the 2024 Grand Champion from the state of Massachusetts, joins the podcast as we enter our final countdown to NTDC 2024. During this episode, you’ll hear how Richard followed in the footsteps of his father to enter the trucking industry. In his...

A National Champion in 2022, Wilbert Vano is grateful and thrilled for the opportunity to return to Indianapolis and to once again be among the nation’s elite professional drivers coming together for NTDC 2024. As you will hear in his interview with Eugene Mulero from...

While Tyler Rogers will be making his fifth career trip to the Nationals in Indianapolis, his rise to become the 2024 Grand Champion from the state of Colorado even surprised Tyler. As you will hear him share in another great interview by Transport Topics Senior...

In this episode of the podcast, we’ll meet John Willinger, who will be returning to Indianapolis and NTDC 2024 after now winning back-to-back Grand Champion titles in the state of Kentucky. As Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero shares with us, John has...

We are thrilled to welcome Jacob Pierce from the American Trucking Associations to a special edition of the podcast. Jacob is an Executive Director for ATA overseeing the Safety Management Council and the Transportation Security Council. As you will hear during the...

In this special episode of the podcast, we will be bringing you a segment from the Dave Nemo Weekends radio show that originally aired during Father’s Day Weekend. Trucking Radio Pioneer and legendary broadcaster Dave Nemo had asked Eugene Mulero from Transport Topics...

As we enter July and begin the final countdown to NTDC 2024, we wanted to take you inside the national competition preparations of Roland Bolduc, one of the most accomplished champions in the long history of the NTDC. This year, Roland is the only returning National...

We have a father-son story to share with you in this edition of the podcast. Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter for Transport Topics, brings us his interviews with the father-son duo of Nate and Andrew Lewis. Nate, who is a past National Champion, has been a member of the...

In this edition of the podcast, we hear the onsite interviews from the road trip that Eugene Mulero made as part of his coverage for Transport Topics of the NTDC state qualifying rounds. Eugene traveled to Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to be a part of the New England...

We’re turning back the pages of the state truck driving championships to a result happened earlier this year when David Coffel brought home the grand champion’s title at the Arizona Trucking Association’s State Championships. Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from...

In this episode of the podcast, the state of Georgia is on our mind and in focus as we highlight the Grand Championship claimed by Chris Moore. As you will hear, it was at an early age that Chris gained an appreciation for trucking and the skills it takes to compete...

As we close out May and begin the final countdown to NTDC 2024, we will spend some time talking with Dan Shamrell from Oregon and Tim Blair from Tennessee. In addition to being members of the FedEx Team who have earned a spot in this year’s Nationals in Indianapolis,...

In this episode of the podcast, we are delivering a “Virginia Special,” as we’ll have onsite interviews conducted by Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics. You’ll hear Eugene’s conversation with David Price, who ran the table at the competition to win...

Larry Gorby from West Virginia and Ina Daly from Arizona are in the spotlight during another mega-edition of our NTDC Podcast, which was recorded on May 8. You will hear Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics and co-author of  “From Roadeo To TDC,” look...

In this supersized edition of the podcast, you will hear an interview with the 2024 Grand Champion from Nevada, Matt Hart.  Podcast co-host Eugene Mulero, a Senior Reporter with Transport Topics, talks with Matt about earning the top prize in the Silver State, and...

Recorded on April 3, the second episode of 2024 edition of our NTDC series takes you inside this year’s first state championship, which was held in Louisiana, and we also discuss the approaches the past two National Grand Champions are taking to prepare for their...