Vrooom Ace

In Tampa, Michael D. Ball was the 1999 State Truck Driving Champion from Michigan in the Three-Axle class. He represented Roadway Express.

That was the fourth annual such competition. The prizes are announced as part of the annual Driver Appreciation Week of the American Trucking Associations, Inc.

That year, then President Bill Clinton issued the proclamation for the week. It read in part:

I am especially pleased to salute the outstanding truck drivers who are competing in this year’s National Truck Driving Championships.

From long trips across our continent to short hauls between neighboring cities, America’s truck drivers deliver the goods and materials that keep our economy strong. Despite working long hours under often tedious — and sometimes dangerous — conditions, these men and women remain dedicated to delivering their varied cargoes quickly, efficiently and safely.

During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, I join all Americans in thanking our nation’s nearly 3 million truck drivers for your hard work and commitment to excellence. You are helping to build a bright, more prosperous future for us all.