Indiana Ready Mix Concrete Association Driver Competition
On August 24, 2024, five of our outstanding Ozinga drivers put their skills to the test at the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s 16th Annual Driver Competition! We were thrilled to support Nick Devaney, Kelly Jenkins, Phil Kickert, Garret Lytle, and Jared Reynhout as they tackled ten challenging events designed to showcase their expertise behind the wheel.
The Challenges
The competition kicked off with a 50-question written exam covering key areas such as vehicle maintenance, concrete knowledge, water-to-cement ratios, and more. Following the exam, our drivers faced a pre-trip truck inspection, where they had to identify deliberately planted defects on the vehicles to score points.
Next came the highlight of the event: the skills challenges. Our drivers demonstrated precision in tasks like the tennis ball drive-through, navigating between two rows of tennis balls spaced just 4 inches wider than the truck’s tire spread—requiring incredible accuracy.
In another challenge, our drivers put their aim to the test by “chute-ing” basketballs into hoops while their trucks remained stationary. They also took on a delicate egg challenge, maneuvering the chute to drop as close as possible to an egg without breaking it.
Additional challenges, including the forward stop, backing stop, parallel parking, and tightest turn, pushed our drivers to showcase their mastery of handling the trucks under various conditions.
Our Incredible Drivers
We’re proud to celebrate the achievements of our drivers:
- Kelly Jenkins from our South Bend yard earned a perfect score on the pre-trip check test.
- Garret Lytle from our Gary yard secured third place overall in the competition!
While shooting hoops may not be a typical job requirement, our drivers’ precision and skills on the course this weekend reflect the high standards they maintain daily.
A Proud Moment for Ozinga
As proud Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association members, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of ready-mixed concrete technology and safety. We’d like to extend our thanks to the IRMCA for hosting this event and for their ongoing contributions to the industry.