DIEPPE, WINNIPEG & REGINA — Professional drivers in Atlantic Canada, Manitoba and Saskatchewan recently competed in provincial truck driving championships, with winners slated to compete in the upcoming national event in Winnipeg.

The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) event was held June 12, with more than 40 drivers vying to represent Team Atlantic in the nationals September 16-19.

First place winners included: Chris Underwood, Armour Transportation, two-axle; Steve MacPhee, Day & Ross, four-axle; Alan Constantine, Armour Transportation, five-axle; and Blaine Hubley, Gerald Battist Trucking, B-train.

Armour Transportation Systems won the Team Award and Tony Smallman with Keltic Transportation was named Rookie of the Year.

On June 30, Peterbilt Manitoba played host to the Manitoba version of the event. Winners from the Friendly Province included: Robert Archambault, Bison Transport, step van; John Klassen, WM Dyck and Sons, straight truck; Brian Hrabarchuk, Con-Way Freight Canada, single-single; Rob Trager, YRC Reimer, single-tandem; Howard McAfee, H&T Trucking, tandem-tandem; and Ken Wiebe, EBD Enterprises, Super-B.

Con-Way won the Team Award, McAfee was named Grand Champion and Wiebe won the Bjornson Memorial award. David Bielski of Con-Way won the First Time Entrant award.

Further west, Saskatchewan drivers went head to head June 5 at SLH Transport’s facilities.

Winners were: Gord Procyk, Jay’s Group of Companies, Super-B; Larry Radons, Reimer Express Lines, straight truck; Brian Weslowski, SLH Transport, single-single; Harey Gording, Reimer Express Lines, single-tandem; and Dan Bururuz, Ridsdale Transport, tandem-tandem.