8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                           Washington, D.C. 20549-1004

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                         March 20, 2003 (March 19, 2003)



                            ARKANSAS BEST CORPORATION

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


    Delaware                    0-19969                   71-0673405
- -------------------            -----------           ----------------------
  (State or other              (Commission               (IRS Employer
  jurisdiction of              File Number)            Identification No.)
 incorporation or
   organization)


                             3801 Old Greenwood Road
                           Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903
                                 (479) 785-6000



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                  the registrant's principal executive offices)







ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.

On March 19, 2003, Arkansas Best Corporation issued a press release announcing
that it has notified The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of its intention to sell
its interest in Wingfoot Commercial Tire Systems, LLC and that it will take a
first quarter 2003 charge for the fair value of its interest rate swap. A copy
of the press release is attached as an exhibit to this Report on Form 8-K.


ITEM 7. EXHIBITS.

99.1     Press release of Arkansas Best Corporation dated March 19, 2003.









                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                            ARKANSAS BEST CORPORATION

                                  (Registrant)

Date:  March 20, 2003             /s/ David E. Loeffler
       ------------------         -----------------------
                                      David E. Loeffler,
                                      Vice President - Chief Financial Officer
                                        and Treasurer






                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS




EXHIBIT
NUMBER          DESCRIPTION
- -------         -----------
             
99.1            Press release of Arkansas Best Corporation dated March 19, 2003

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



                            ARKANSAS BEST CORPORATION
             SENDS GOODYEAR NOTICE TO SELL ITS INTEREST IN WINGFOOT;
                    WILL TAKE A FIRST QUARTER 2003 CHARGE FOR
                    THE FAIR VALUE OF ITS INTEREST RATE SWAP

         (Fort Smith, Arkansas, March 19, 2003) -- Arkansas Best Corporation
(Nasdaq: ABFS) announced today that it has notified The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company of its intention to sell its 19% ownership interest in Wingfoot
Commercial Tire Systems, LLC to Goodyear for a cash price of $71.3 million.
Arkansas Best anticipates closing the transaction and receiving the proceeds
from Goodyear on or about May 1, 2003. Upon the closing of the transaction,
Arkansas Best expects to record a pre-tax gain of approximately $12 million
($8.4 million after-tax or $0.33 per diluted common share) in the second quarter
of 2003. Arkansas Best expects to use the proceeds to reduce the outstanding
debt under its credit agreement, which currently stands at $110.0 million.

         Arkansas Best has hedged the variable rate interest payments on $110.0
million of borrowings under its revolving credit agreement with an interest rate
swap. Because Arkansas Best anticipates using the proceeds from this transaction
to reduce borrowings below $110.0 million, Arkansas Best will recognize a
pre-tax charge of approximately $8.5 million ($5.2 million after-tax or $0.20
per diluted common share) to earnings in its first quarter 2003 income statement
related to the current negative fair value of the swap. The fair value of the
interest rate swap may change between now and the end of the first quarter. If
such changes occur, they will be reflected in Arkansas Best's first quarter 2003
earnings.

         Arkansas Best Corporation, headquartered in Fort Smith, AR, is a
diversified transportation holding company with two primary operating
subsidiaries. ABF Freight System, Inc., in continuous service since 1923,
provides national transportation of less-than-truckload ("LTL") general
commodities throughout North America. Clipper is an intermodal marketing company
that provides domestic freight services utilizing rail and over-the-road
transportation.








         THE FOLLOWING IS A "SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES
LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: Statements contained in this press release that
are not based on historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Terms such
as "estimate," "expect," "predict," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "intend,"
"should," "would," "scheduled," and similar expressions and the negatives of
such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements
are by their nature subject to uncertainties and risk, including but not limited
to union relations; availability and cost of capital; shifts in market demand;
weather conditions; the performance and needs of industries served by Arkansas
Best's subsidiaries; actual future costs of operating expenses such as fuel and
related taxes; self-insurance claims and employee wages and benefits; actual
costs of continuing investments in technology, the timing and amount of capital
expenditures; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures; general economic
conditions; and other financial, operational and legal risks and uncertainties
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC public filings



Contact: Mr. David E. Loeffler, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
         Treasurer
         Telephone: (479) 785-6157

         Mr. David Humphrey, Director of Investor Relations
         Telephone: (479) 785-6200

                                 END OF RELEASE