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Con-way Inc. Sends a Record 89 Drivers to National Truck Driving Championships
Monday, July 27, 2009 9:01 AM


Skilled Professional Drivers Representing 37 States Will Compete in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22

SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 07/27/09 -- Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW) today announced that it will send 89 drivers -- one-third more than ever before -- to the 72nd annual American Trucking Associations (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22. A total of 88 Con-way Freight drivers and one Con-way Truckload driver will participate, after qualifying by winning first place in any of nine equipment classes in state competition. Last year, 67 Con-way Freight driver sales representatives took part in the event.

At the nationals, judges evaluate drivers on their skills and knowledge of safe driving through written examinations, equipment safety inspection testing and formal driving tests. Since the first national championships in 1937, 11 Con-way Freight drivers have taken National Champion titles in their equipment classes, including 2006 National Grand Champion Dale Duncan of Chula Vista, Calif. In 2008, 16 of the company's drivers finished in the top 10. Jeff Halford of Boise, Idaho, scored highest, completing the competition at second in the 4-Axle division.

"Con-way Freight's driver sales representatives represent the highest levels of skill, safety and professionalism in the industry and we are fortunate to have them as the face of Con-way Freight at our customers' facilities, on the highways and in our service centers," said Bob Petrancosta, vice president of safety, Con-way Freight. "Their unprecedented success in this year's state driving championships is even further evidence of their talent and dedication, and I wish them the best of luck in Pittsburgh next month."

Con-way Freight U.S. competition highlights:

--  1,054 drivers participated in 48 state-level competitions
--  88 took State Champion honors in 37 states, the most in Con-way
    Freight's 26-year history
--  84 won second place and another 84 won third place
--  12 won State Grand Champion titles for highest point total in their
    state's competition
--  Nine state teams took trophies for top collective performances in
    Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont,
    Virginia and West Virginia
    

In this year's Canadian provincial competitions, three Con-way Freight driver sales representatives won first place in their equipment classes. Brian Hrabarchuk of Manitoba and Shawn Pietracupa of Ontario were Provincial Champions in the 3-Axle division, while Roger Mailloux of Ontario took first place in the Step Van division introduced in state and provincial championships this year. Canada's 2009 national competition has been cancelled due to economic conditions.

Additionally, Con-way Truckload driver Billy Pritchett won first place in the 5-Axle Sleeper division at the 2009 Missouri Truck Driving Championships June 5-6. He will represent the company at the U.S. nationals in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22.

ATA will award the National Champion in each equipment class a check for $1,000, as well as a plaque and gold belt buckle. The organization honors the event's overall Grand Champion with a plaque and commemorative diamond ring, as well as industry-wide recognition as "The Best Truck Driver in America."

Since 1999, Con-way Freight has recognized each of its equipment class National Champions with a new Ford F-150 pickup truck, along with the use of a customized commercial tractor displaying the driver's name and championship title. The company also awards any of its drivers named Grand Champion a $7,500 prize.

The following U.S. Con-way Freight drivers will participate in the national competition:

Name                Class           City             State
Shawn Skellett      Tankers         Birmingham       AL
Danny Fuller        Tankers         Jonesboro        AR
Jerry Baker         3-Axle          Flagstaff        AZ
Dale Duncan         5-Axle          San Diego        CA
Marcos Lozoya       Tankers         Sacramento       CA
Javier Saucedo      Straight Truck  Los Angeles      CA
Steven Turner       Twins           Los Angeles      CA
Jason Kuehne        Twins           Fort Collins     CO
Tony Carter         5-Axle Flatbed  Jacksonville     FL
Dennis Day          5-Axle Sleeper  Norcross         GA
John Dillon         5-Axle Flatbed  Atlanta          GA
Richard Barre       Straight Truck  Ottumwa          IA
Scott Marnin        Twins           Des Moines       IA
Jeffrey Wickwire    4-Axle          Cedar Rapids     IA
Matthew Clemens     Tankers         Boise            ID
Jeffrey Halford     4-Axle          Boise            ID
Joshua Jetton       3-Axle          Boise            ID
James Lowry         Step Van        Boise            ID
Aaron McCormick     4-Axle          Indianapolis     IN
Thomas Brown        Twins           La Salle         IL
Lee Eastburn        5-Axle Sleeper  Quad Cities      IL
Gary Risman         Straight Truck  Salem            IL
Joe Trifiletti      4-Axle          Wichita          KS
Steve Farmer        4-Axle          Louisville       KY
Brian Laytart       Straight Truck  Lexington        KY
Carl Morrison       Tankers         Louisville       KY
Brandon Souder      5-Axle Flatbed  Florence         KY
Mike Whitt          5-Axle Sleeper  Lexington        KY
Marco Becerra       Step Van        New Orleans      LA
Jerry Farmer        4-Axle          Shreveport       LA
Leroy Williams      Straight Truck  Baton Rouge      LA
Brent Grendell      5-Axle Sleeper  Worcester        MA
Richard Sweeney     5-Axle Flatbed  Springfield      MA
Nelson Girard       3-Axle          Portland         ME
Ronald Looks        Straight Truck  Cadillac         MI
Edward O'Mara       5-Axle Sleeper  Detroit          MI
Albert Hockett      4-Axle          Rolla            MO
Wayne Darnell       Twins           Poplar Bluff     MO
Wyatt Hooper        5-Axle          Springfield      MO
John Phillips       Straight Truck  Jackson          MS
Bryce Campbell      5-Axle Flatbed  Missoula         MT
Scott Ruth          3-Axle          Butte            MT
Keith Gendron       Straight Truck  Bismarck         ND
Steven Johnson      3-Axle          Fargo            ND
Brad Morrow         Twins           Fargo            ND
Jonathon Simonson   5-Axle Sleeper  Fargo            ND
Bryan Wold          Tankers         Fargo            ND
Wilbert Vano        3-Axle          Newark           NJ
Keith Zujkowski     5-Axle Sleeper  South Plainfield NJ
Tom Fullerton       Tankers         Albuquerque      NM
Gary Sanders        3-Axle          Gallup           NM
Steve Bardsley      Twins           Reno             NV
Brian Becker        Tankers         Reno             NV
Brandon Hardy       5-Axle Flatbed  Las Vegas        NV
Robert Zehren       3-Axle          Las Vegas        NV
Jeffrey Chambrovich 3-Axle          Elmsford         NY
David Christie      5-Axle Sleeper  Buffalo          NY
Bob Dolan           Straight Truck  Allentown        PA
Dale Knox           Tankers         Erie             PA
Gary Blanchard      Twins           Providence       RI
Russell Oliveira    3-Axle          Providence       RI
Jimmy McAlister     Twins           Greenville       SC
Jonathan Morgan     Step Van        Columbia         SC
Ron Gasper          3-Axle          Watertown        SD
Les Gonsor          5-Axle          Watertown        SD
David Smith         5-Axle Flatbed  Sioux Falls      SD
Sam Aker            5-Axle Flatbed  Memphis          TN
Terry Certain       3-Axle          Nashville        TN
Steve Heinz         5-Axle Flatbed  Knoxville        TN
Dale Williams       5-Axle Sleeper  Knoxville        TN
Oscar Ramos         5-Axle Sleeper  Harlingen        TX
David Klemme        4-Axle          Salt Lake City   UT
John Patea          Twins           Salt Lake City   UT
Lynn Wilson         5-Axle          Salt Lake City   UT
Richard Kinsey      5-Axle Flatbed  Winchester       VA
Pete Nuckols        Straight Truck  Wytheville       VA
Mike Stickley       4-Axle          Winchester       VA
David McGranaghan   Tankers         Burlington       VT
Steve Slack         Twins           St. Johnsbury    VT
Bill Glasco         3-Axle          Tacoma           WA
Chris Poynor        Twins           Pasco            WA
Rick Bernard        Step Van        Milwaukee        WI
Jeffrey Langenhahn  Twins           Stevens Point    WI
Michael Weeks       5-Axle Flatbed  Sheboygan        WI
Tim Bailey          Straight Truck  Clarksburg       WV
Larry Gorby         Twins           Charleston       WV
Kenneth Grimmett    5-Axle Flatbed  Charleston       WV
Mike Williams       3-Axle          Huntingdon       WV

Follow the company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Con_way_.

Con-way equipment images are available at www.con-way.com/en/about_con_way/newsroom.

About Con-way Inc.

Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW) is a $5 billion freight transportation and logistics services company headquartered in San Mateo, Calif. A diversified transportation company, Con-way delivers industry-leading services through three primary operating companies: Con-way Freight, Con-way Truckload and Menlo Worldwide Logistics. These operating units provide high-performance, day-definite less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload and intermodal freight transportation, as well as logistics, warehousing and supply chain management services and trailer manufacturing. Con-way Inc. and its subsidiaries operate from more than 500 locations across North America and in 20 countries. For more information about Con-way, visit www.con-way.com.

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Contacts:
KG Partners
Belinda Donovan/Amber Caouette
(207) 773-0700
bdonovan@kgmoment.com
acaouette@kgmoment.com

Con-way Inc.
Tom Nightingale
(734) 757-1609
nightingale.tom@con-way.com

(Source: Market Wire )


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