Last year, he missed out on the grand champion title by just one point. In Texas, he fell short of a perfect score by just five points, but he still took home the victory at the Texas Motor Speedway on March 28. Congratulations to Brendan Greene, the first TA Truck Service Challenge competitor to win two events back-to-back.
Competitors earn points during each Challenge by completing a skills-based obstacle course and based on their results from a written DOT regulations quiz, which they can choose whether they want to take electronically or by hand. When it comes to Brendan, he’s dedicated to the basics, like taking his DOT tests on paper.
“I was really lucky,” Brendan said, after the Texas event. “I’m trying to win every single point offered. I study a lot, and I try to study the skills challenges as much as I can as a few competitors in front of me take to the course. I watch their lines and try to mentally prepare for what I’ll encounter on the course.”
As far as the Challenge obstacle courses go, each one is set up differently. Some focus on backing up, while others focus on parking maneuvers, threading the needle and more.
“The Texas course was really tough…a lot tougher than Atlanta in my opinion,” he said. “The start and finish were very tight, and the back dock sections are always hard for me. You also had to be lined up perfectly as you started the last leg, or you couldn’t get the rig back in line to make the swing.”
The Texas course may have been more challenging than Atlanta, but that didn’t stop Brendan from winning, as he finished just five points short of a perfect score. His co-driver and former Challenge winner, Jamie Price, came in second place right behind him, and Greg Sorber, Team Penske Racing No. 22 came in third. In addition to holding a 10 point lead over Price, Brendan also is 24 points ahead of Sorber in the overall standings going into the next event.
“Winning today means I’m one step closer to the championship, and that is my ultimate goal,” Brendan said. “The lead really doesn’t mean anything at this point, because I could have a bad run in Charlotte and drop a few places in the standings. I learned last year that I should never count my chickens before they hatch.
“Jamie was right there with me today on our point totals,” Brendan continued. “While we were the best today, we know the best (Tom McCrimmon) was at home in Charlotte, recovering from a back injury. I really missed him in today’s competition. You want to compete against the best, and it’s just not the same when he’s not here.”
We wish Tom a quick recovery, and look forward to seeing Brendan and the remaining Challenge competitors at the Charlotte event on May 23.