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It was trophy time in 2023 for Illinois rookie of the year Connor Christensen and grand champion father Ceth. (Christensen family photo)

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You’d be forgiven for not quite knowing where you’ve seen Connor Christensen before. He was, for years, a behind-the-scenes constant in his father Ceth’s orbit during state and national competitions.

Connor admittedly learned step van skills through observing; Ceth took part in four step van contests at the .

This week, however, it will be Connor’s turn to embark on his journey at the 87th annual “Super Bowl of Safety” as one of five drivers for UPS from the state to earn a trip to Indianapolis.

In June, Christensen, from Illinois, punched his ticket to the big show. Last year, he earned rookie of the year at the Land of Lincoln’s NTDC qualifier.

2024 National Truck Driving Championships

�³��:��Winners from nine categories at the state level who have��advanced to the national competition, where a Grand Champion will be crowned

�³󲹳�:��Contestants are judged on a written exam, pre-trip inspection and driving skills

When: Aug. 21-24

Where: Indianapolis

He is “excited but extremely nervous” to compete alongside more than 400 of the nation’s elite precision drivers this week, he recently told Transport Topics. The training leading up to NTDC, he explained, has consisted of “doing practice tests at night” as well as “practicing on the weekends with my dad as my coach.”

The father-son duo practiced throughout the summer to polish their talent. Long hours of hard work on the weekends anchored the training in an attempt to capture the essence of teamwork. On the national stage, collaboration and logic are essential to achieving successful outcomes.

Getting to Know You

Image

Name: Connor Christensen

Age: 26

From: Manhattan, Ill.

Vehicle: Step van

Music: Country

Hobby: Golf

Food: Hot wings

Most memorable NTDC moment: Watching my dad take second in step van in 2022.

The last word: “We are all champions for making it to the NTDC 2024.”

As he sets his focus to the step van, which takes the course Aug. 22, Christensen said he hopes to end up with the top five drivers who advance to the final round. More importantly, he is grateful to represent his state and company alongside the “best-of-the-best safest drivers in the country.”

As the in-residence father-coach, Ceth Christensen is convinced his son is capable of scoring on every problem on the driving course. NTDC tests competitors using an intricate course, a pre-trip vehicle inspection and a written exam on industry regulations.

“It’s been pretty exciting, not only watching him do a few problems differently than I would, but also taking my advice and my input and using that … the best that he can,” the patriarch said. “[He’s] our kid. We want him to do the best he can, and we want him to walk out of there with a trophy — that would be awesome. We know how difficult that is, though. So it’s exciting. He’s got his eyes open; he’s ready to roll.”

Contrary to anecdotal observations about NTDC, the event is not equal parts competition and camaraderie. The tournament ultimately is a colossal celebration of the women and men who drove commercial vehicles accident-free for a year. It’s a triumph of the industry.

“We’re all pretty much equal. You know, we’re all doing the same job — out here to have some fun and show off our skills,” Ceth Christensen observed.

Twenty-eight NTDC drivers this week will represent UPS. Big Brown standouts include California grand champion Alejandro Fonseca in twin trailers. Last year’s NTDC grand champion was Nevada’s Gragg Wilson with UPS.

“It’s pretty cool that our trucking company or trucking industry has something that we can do to showcase our skills.”

Other winners:

3-Axle: Ritch Fundell, FedEx

4-Axle: Dustin Scholle, UPS

5-Axle: Rebecca Heck, Landstar

Flatbed: William O'Connor, UPS

Sleeper Berth: Palczynski, Walmart

Straight Truck: James Fischer, UPS

Tank Truck: Michael Steffy, FedEx Freight

Twins: Miguel Corral, UPS

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