When the National Truck Driving Championships roll into Pittsburgh next month, nine of Alabama’s best will represent the state against the top drivers from every corner of the country. Each of them earned their spot the hard way — through a grueling day of precision driving, tight backing maneuvers, obstacle courses, and a written exam that trips up even the veterans — at the Alabama Truck Driving Championships in Pelham this past June.
Now the real work begins.
Kyle Avery’s win at this year’s state championship was about as dominant as it gets. Driving for Publix, Avery won the 5-axle class and the overall Grand Champion title by a 65-point margin — the kind of performance that usually punches a direct ticket to Nationals. But the timing worked out differently. The morning after his win, Avery started a new role with Publix, moving off the road and into a safety leadership position.
It’s a well-earned promotion built on the same skill and judgment that won him the state title — but it also means Alabama’s reigning Grand Champion won’t be the one representing the state in Pittsburgh. The challenge now falls to John Carter of FedEx Freight, who finished second to Avery in the 5-axle class. Carter will compete in the 5-axle competition at Nationals, stepping into the spotlight on short notice and with a lot to prove.
Alabama’s Lineup
Alabama is sending a full slate of class winners into national competition:
John Carter
(FedEx Freight) — 5-Axle
Richard Pratt
(FedEx Freight) — Step Van
David Hawk
(FedEx Freight) — Straight Truck (his ninth trip to Nationals)
Robert Moore
(FedEx Freight) — 3-Axle
Donald Espy
(Walmart Transportation) — 4-Axle
Ryan LaPoint
(Publix) — Sleeper Berth
Cory King
(FedEx Freight) — Tanker
Thomas Rea
(FedEx Freight) — Flatbed
William Brandon
(FedEx Freight) — Twins
With an experienced roster anchored by drivers like David Hawk, an eight-time Nationals veteran making his ninth appearance this year. We expect our men to do great things this year.
One of the advantages of winning at the state level is that the Alabama TDC officials set their course like the national competition.
Mr. Hawk agrees, “It’s a tight course, especially the last three obstacles, which involve a barrel design and a score pad, which make you swing out to get back to the curb,” he says. “Most people might try to go past it to come back, or they can’t cross the line, and then you’re coming back to the bull’s-eye at an angle.”
Still, he said that he actually liked the course, especially since he was competing in the Straight Truck class. “Yeah, it’s funny – this course does set up well for a shorter rig,” he said, smiling. “It’s very close to what you will see at Nationals.”
Two Months to Prepare
Ask any driver on this list, and they’ll tell you the same thing: winning at Nationals isn’t about having one good day on the course. It’s about the other 364 days of the year — the pre-trip inspections nobody sees, the defensive driving habits that become second nature, the discipline of treating every mile like it’s being scored.
“I’m usually driving twins, but was chosen to compete in the step van class this year,” says Richard Pratt, who drives for FedEx. “It is a very different vehicle, and your whole approach changes. I have been practicing and reading up on regulations. I will be prepared.”
For the veteran driver and one of Alabama Trucking’s Road Team Captains, a public outreach program that sends professional truck drivers to high schools across the state to promote driving safety and trucking careers, Mr. Pratt is among the team’s most experienced and knowledgeable.
Staying safe on the road — and staying safe at work, every single shift — is the foundation the entire competition is built on. The skill obstacles at TDC aren’t just games; they’re a stress test of the exact habits that keep these drivers, and everyone else on the road, safe day in and day out.
For the next several weeks, that means extra hours reviewing pre-trip checklists, running practice courses, and sharpening the small details that separate a good run from a winning one. It’s a total grind, especially after a long day of driving, but it’s the same grind that makes these drivers among the best in the country.
Alabama Is Due
Alabama has produced exactly one National Grand Champion in the history of the competition — Al Lewis, all the way back in 2007.
Read Al’s reflection on his big win here.
Twenty-one years is a long time to wait. Every one of the drivers heading to Pittsburgh this August has a chance to change that — and with a lineup this experienced, this deep, and this hungry, it feels like Alabama’s window is wide open.
Here’s to David Hawk, back for a ninth run at the title that’s eluded him. And here’s to John Carter, stepping into a role he didn’t expect a few weeks ago. Here’s to Richard Pratt, Robert Moore, Donald Espy, Ryan LaPoint, Cory King, Thomas Rea, and William Brandon — nine drivers, one state, one long-overdue title.
Bring it home, boys.
Alabama’s contingent competes at the National Truck Driving Championships, August 11–14, 2026, in Pittsburgh.
