The National Equipment League is back with another season of operator games

Last year, the National Equipment League brought a new extreme sport to the world when seasoned heavy equipment operators competed in a series of skill-testing races and precision tasks. The games combine auto racing and combat sports with the operators in the hot seat of construction equipment to showcase the best this skilled trade offers. 

After a successful first edition of the games, the league returned with a second season and brought with it even bigger and better competitions. Season one champion Bryan Furnace returned to defend his title, and returning competitors Andrew Camarata, and Mike Simon (Dirt Perfect) join new operators Brenna Moore, Chris Guins (LetsDig18), and Brandon Shannon (Dirt, Grain & Steel).

Looking back on the first season of the National Equipment League

During the first season of the games, the championship belt was won by Bryan Furnace, a heavy equipment operator and content creator who offers commentary on the industry and reviews of new products. The debut season quickly showed viewers that heavy equipment operation is a skilled spectator sport and easily lends itself to intense competition. 

Games in the first season featured races like the mini excavator sprint and tests of precision with the compact track loader match stick stacking. Furnace plowed through the competition and received the best score out of the three tasks. 

Season two brings new competition

In the newest season, six competitors are challenged across a series of four events. The games are sponsored by HD Hyundai Construction Equipment North America and hosted by Jessica Klein and Bill "The Commissioner" Elverman in Cairnsville, Georgia, at the Hyundai product centre. 

The events are practical in design and use real-world skills applied on the job site every day. More importantly, the games highlight the camaraderie, character, and passion of construction industry professionals through friendly competition. 

"The competition is more fast-paced this season, and we have great rivalries that rise to the surface in each event," says Bill Elverman, commissioner of the National Equipment League. 

"This includes the great ongoing rivalry between Mike Simon and Chris Guins, the darkhorse champion Bryan Furnace, and the legend Andrew Camarata reminding everyone of how good they are at the controls, and new competitors like Brenna Moore showing us the power of women operators in the industry, and Brandon Shannon matching humour and wit with skill. It's going to be a great season."

The first event 

The first event of the competition tests the operator's control of the machine to stack large concrete blocks. The new game maintains the same rules as the last games: the best time wins. Each competitor used the Hyundai HX220A to stack 3,600-pound bin blocks four high. Elverman played a role in the event by acting as the ground man, assisting the operator in landing each block in its intended place. 

While all competitors brought their best to the stacking competition, Chris Guins took home the best time. His calm and collected presence in the operator seat allowed him six points in the first event, making him the player to catch. 

Heavy equipment competitions are important for the industry 

The games are about more than just adding a bit of fun to the construction industry — they highlight the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and adaptability needed to excel on the job, and the National Equipment League isn't the only competition that highlights these skills. Caterpillar's Global Operator Challenge is a prestigious event in the industry highlighting the best from skilled trades. 

Caterpillar's grand finale occurs every three years at CONEXPO-CON/AGG with the next one set to take place in 2026. The massive platform allows challengers to showcase their skills on the world stage. Games like trenching, loading, and navigating obstacle courses are played. 

Inspiring younger generations of construction professionals and equipment operators is another healthy benefit of the competition. The industry often suffers from a skilled labour shortage, but these games, expos, and trade shows are the perfect opportunity to showcase the talent that can grow under the right guidance.