The 2018 Challenge circuit finished at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sept. 27, with Michael Hutton winning the last event of the season. Competitors who took first, second and third place in the season standings were announced on Sept. 29.
- 1st place and Grand Champion, awarded $25,000: Tom “Thumper” McCrimmon of Joe Gibbs Racing with 5,919 total points.
- 2nd place, awarded $10,000: Brendan “Slim” Greene of Joe Gibbs Racing with 5,918 total points.
- 3rd place, awarded $5,000: Ken Pitcher of Joe Gibbs Racing with 5,899 total points.
Competition Details
TA Truck Service is proud to sponsor the Challenge, an event that recognizes NASCAR hauler drivers for their dedication on the road and support at the race track.
Each competition took place on a Thursday afternoon or evening, when NASCAR hauler drivers arrived at that week’s race location. Over the course of the six events, drivers earned a combined score for their maneuverability skills in a timed course and their knowledge of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations on a written exam.
Competitors started each event with 1,200 points = the maximum amount possible if they missed no questions on the DOT quiz and didn’t lose any points on the skills course. Mistakes such as missed boundary lines, knocked over end gates and unauthorized pullups cost each competitor five points. Each driver’s cumulative score at the end of the season included their five best scores out of the six events.
The Man on Top of the Podium
For Tom “Thumper” McCrimmon, this was his fourth championship win in his time competing in NASCAR hauler driver events over the course of his 31-year driving career.
Although McCrimmon didn’t win a single event this year, he was consistent enough to clinch first place in the season standings, beating out his fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Brendan “Slim” Greene by just one point. After winning the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event, Greene became the only repeat winner of the 2018 season.
“Slim brought it to a new level this year. We used to just wing it, but now you’ve got to study.” McCrimmon said. “It’s like they say, you can do anything if you set your mind to it. Slim set his mind to this. He’s coming. He’s going to win one of these.”
For a NASCAR hauler driver Challenge veteran like McCrimmon, this win meant a lot. “I’m proud of it. I cherish this stuff,” he said, before showing gratitude to TA Truck Service and his sponsors. “We have to have support going down the road – all truck drivers do. You have to have places to eat and someone that can fix your truck. We depend on them, so for them to step up and sponsor this event is really special.”
2018 Events & Winners
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Sonoma Raceway
Kentucky Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
TA Truck Service is proud to sponsor an event that celebrates the unsung heroes of NASCAR racing through a fun and friendly competition. NASCAR hauler drivers make many sacrifices for their jobs, and without them, there would be no race weekend.
Like us on Facebook or head over to the official TA Truck Service Challenge website to keep up with details about the 2019 schedule.