KITCHENER, Ont. — The top truck drivers in Central Ontario were at Conestoga College to vie for the title of Grand Champion at the Central Ontario Regional Truck Driving Championships June 8. Drivers competed in four categories – Tandem-tandem, Single tandem, Single-single, and Straight Truck – with the top three finishers in each moving on to the provincial championships in July.

The top three drivers in each category are as follows:

Tandem-tandem
1)   Tom Griffiths, Maple Leaf Foods
2)   Peter Raschke, Linamar Transportation
3)   Shawn Matheson, Home Hardware Stores

Single tandem
1)   Bert Weykamp, Conway Freight Canada
2)   Bryan Winfield, Home Hardware Stores
3)   Jeff Peppler, Maple Leaf Foods

Single-single
1)   Clary Ward, Conway Freight Canada
2)   Joe Kuntz, Home Hardware Stores
3)   William Wolfe, Maple Leaf Foods

Straight truck
1)   Stew Jutzi, Erb Transport
2)   Rob Marshall, Maple Leaf Foods
3)   Roger Zehr, Erb Transport

Grand Champion honours went to Tom Griffiths of Maple Leaf Foods. The Rookie of the Year Award was won by Gary Schumacher of Gay Lea Foods. Taking the Team Award was Maple Leaf Foods, with a top three winner in every category. The Safety Award went to Clary Ward of Conway Freight Canada.

Of note is the appearance of Stew Jutzi as the winner in the Straight Truck category. Jutzi won the Straight Truck crown at the National Professional Truck Driving Championships in 2011. Winners from the Ontario championships in July will move on to this years’ Nationals, scheduled to take place in B.C. in September.