Highway Hero still a secret ... until Thursday night

Goodyear announced the four finalists for its Highway hero award of 2009, but the winner is still a secret. A double-dog secret. That secret will see the light of day this week at the Mid-America Trucking Show here in Louisville -- on Thursday evening, in fact.

Goodyear will introduce the final four nominees tomorrow night at the Truck Writers of North America industry awards banquet. As everyone holds their breath -- we will hear their stories and there's likely gonna be tears. Then one will be named the winner. Land Line will bring you that news.

The finalists are George Lantzy of Turtle Creek, PA, a driver for Fubar Trucking; Stephen Page, Gloucester, MA, a driver for Pit Bull Trucking; Jesse Lee Seal, Alma, AR, a driver for PDP Unlimited; and Junichi Shimizu, Gladstone, OR, a driver for Chipman Relocations. Later this week, I will tell you more of their admirable and quick-thinking stories of heroism on the highway.

The judges for this contest are the journalists from the trucking industry. I am not a judge this year and glad I am not. Choosing a winner from these four finalists would be a rock-you-back-on-your-heels tough choice and, well, they are all winners in my view.

Not only do these drivers earn the deserved recognition from the industry, but the winner also gets a $10,000 U.S. Savings bond, a plaque and a specially designed ring. The other three finalists get a $5,000 savings bond and plaque.

Watch this post for the announcement of the winning 2009 Goodyear North America Highway Hero.