Avondale, Arizona-based Ron Kelsey is no stranger to Overdrive's Pride & Polish competition. In 2021, Kelsey and his 1981 "Sunrise Express" Peterbilt 359 won in the Antique category and placed third in both Interior and Working Bobtail.
This year, Kelsey returns to the winner's circle, picking up a first place in the Working Bobtail category, along with another third place in Interior.
It's not often that you find a 42-year-old truck still working at all, much less enough to qualify as a true "working" truck, but Kelsey's "Sunrise Express" no doubt fits the bill, still running around 100,000 miles a year. Kelsey hauls steel and pipe on runs between Arizona and Texas and back for two direct customers he's been working with for upwards of 30 years, he said.
Despite a tough run business-wise for much of the trucking industry during the time since Kelsey last won Pride & Polish in 2021, with skyrocketing fuel costs in 2022 and rock-bottom spot rates this year, Kelsey shielded himself from those market pressures with his direct customers. He said his customers stay on top of fuel prices and pay a fair surcharge.
[Related: Undisputed: Introducing the 2023 Pride & Polish champs]
As for the truck, Kelsey's owned the '81 359 since 1983 -- 40 years this year. The rig's mostly the same as it was in 2021 when it was last profiled in Overdrive. "I pretty much think I have it all covered by now with 40 years of tinkering," he joked.
The only major change in the last two years is the replacement of the rear fenders, which he said he damaged a while back. The replacements are just like the prior fenders, painted in the orange-to-yellow fade with ghost flames.
