As a professional driver with more than two million safe miles to his credit, XPO’s Steve Iburg understands the important roles that patience and persistence play in his success on the road. As he shares with us in this episode of the podcast, Steve continued to be persistent, even when his patience was tested, in his quest to return to the Nationals.

A five-time state champion from the state of Iowa with his first title arriving in 2015, Steve had not taken home a first-place trophy since 2023 and the State Grand Championship that he won in 2017 felt like it was 20 years ago. Coming into the June Iowa TDC, Steve used the past couple of years as motivation to work harder and be at his best in all phases of the competition.

As you’ll hear, those efforts paid off in a return trip to the NTDCs as the Twins title holder and, for the first time in nearly a decade, Steve earned the Grand Championship for Iowa.

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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