LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) has awarded nine professional truck drivers and two technicians with top prizes at the 2025 Arkansas Trucking Championship.
“What strikes me most about this competition is that these drivers and technicians didn’t have to be here—they chose to be,” said Shannon Newton, ATA president. “They chose to step into the spotlight and demonstrate the incredible skill and professionalism they bring to their work every single day. Watching them navigate these challenges with such expertise and grace reminds us all why we’re so proud to be part of this industry. Every competitor here represents the thousands of professionals across Arkansas who are committed to excellence, safety, and serving our communities.”
2025 Arkansas Trucking Championship
The written and hands-on competitions brought together 140 of the best drivers and 42 of the top technicians in the state for a demonstration of safety, knowledge, and skill. Hosted by the ATA, the championship was held June 27-28 at the Rogers Convention Center in Rogers, Ark.
Over the course of the two-day event, drivers tested their skills in a pre-trip inspection competition, written exam and were scored navigating a course mimicking over-the-road scenarios. Saturday’s driving skills portion was the biggest event, attracting hundreds of cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators. To qualify for the truck driving championship, contestants must be accident free for the past year.
National Truck Driving Competition
The following professional truck drivers will represent Arkansas in their respective classes at the National Truck Driving Competition, to be held Aug. 20-23 in Minneapolis, Minn.
3 Axle: Jeff Cochran (Texarkana, Texas) of FedEx Freight
4 Axle: Chaunce Umfleet (Lonoke, Ark.) of FedEx Corporation
5 Axle: Nathan Evans (Rudy, Ark.) of Tyson Foods
Flatbed: Phillip Thurner (Concordia, Kan.) of Tyson Foods
Sleeper: Gary Mars (Leslie, Ark.) of Walmart Transportation
Step Van: Eric Brockette (Little Rock, Ark.) of FedEx Freight
Straight Truck: Jessie King (Little Rock, Ark.) of FedEx Freight
Tank: Marcus Rush (Cave City, Ark.) of Walmart Transportation
Twins: Dave Hall (Austin, Ark.) of ABF Freight
Cochran was named the 2025 Arkansas Truck Driving Championship Grand Champion. He has driven for FedEx Freight for 34 years with over 3.5 million safe driving miles. He has qualified for nationals seven times, and this year was his second (2012) to earn the Grand Champion title (award for the driver whose score deviates the most from the average score in their class).
Technician Competition
Technicians competed in two tracks: truck tech or trailer tech. Jimmy Eichelberger of Tyson Foods was named the Trailer Technician Grand Champion. Eichelberger took home first place trophy for the electrical station and earned the top score on the written exam.
On the truck technician track, Benjamin Kirtley of J.B. Hunt Transport was crowned the Truck Technician Grand Champion for the second year in a row. Kirtley was the top finisher in six of 12 stations. In September, Kirtley and Eichelberger will head to the National Technician Skills Competition, SuperTech 2026, in Raleigh, N.C.
Rookie of the Year
Each competition also recognized a rookie of the year for the competitors with the highest score among their first-time peers. Dillan Sims of McKee Foods Transportation was named the Rookie of the Year in the technician competition, and Chandler Compton, a Step Van competitor from FedEx Corporation was the top rookie in a class of 42 first-time driving competitors.
Both the technician championship and driver championship also announce a sportsmanship award, decided on by the championship committees for the competitors who demonstrate outstanding attitude and professionalism. This year’s technician and driver sportsmanship winners are Natalie Jackson of J.B. Hunt Transport and Chaunce Umfleet of FedEx Corporation, respectively.
FutureTech Competitors
For the first time, the Arkansas Technician Championship included four FutureTech competitors, students or recent graduates from medium- or heavy-duty truck technician programs at Arkansas institutions. Aubrey Antrim, a current student at Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, was named the FutureTech of the Year. Antrim graduated from Dardanelle High School in 2024 and is an apprentice technician at Rush Truck Centers in Lowell.
“What these winners accomplished in Rogers was just the beginning of their journey,” Newton said. “As Jeff, Jimmy, Benjamin and the rest of Team Arkansas prepare for the national competitions, they carry with them not only their individual achievements but the collective respect of our trucking industry in the state. We’re incredibly proud to have them represent us, and we know they’ll demonstrate the same excellence and professionalism that got them here.”
According to the ATA, the following companies made substantial financial contributions in support of the industry’s technicians and drivers:
- ABF Freight.
- FedEx.
- Frito Lay Transportation.
- Great West Casualty Company.
- J.B. Hunt Transport.
- MHC; Rush Truck Centers.
- Stallion Transportation Group.
- Tyson Foods.
- USA Truck.
- W&B Service Co.
- Walmart Transportation.
- Destination Rogers.
“Their support allows for a first-class competition to celebrate highway safety, ATA said in a media release. “The competition week was held along with two other safety-focused events: a technician training fair and the 20th anniversary of the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Challenge for the Arkansas Highway Police.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
