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The shiny-clean red, white & black-trimmed trucks of Kelly Racing Fuels have been a familiar sight to Northeast for many years. These vehicles provide Sunoco, VP and Unocal racing fuel for a variety of divisions, and company owner/operator Rich Perone is looking forwarded to a busy 2000 season. Calling it a "...real team effort", he runs the business with his wife, Stacey. And, "customer service" is their priority. "Our goal is to always provide our customers with the best pricing, technical advice and overall service that we can," said Rich Perone. "Thats not only at the race track, but during the week and in the off-season. We want to work with the racers, we've known them for many years and it's been a great relationship. It's always real nice to go back to the track after the winter and see everyone!" Kelly Racing Fuels was founded by George Fowler 25 years ago. When Fowler and noted stock and sprint car driver Dave Kelly joined together to run that business, it became known as Kel-Flo. Rich Perone took over the company 12 years ago, and it became the now signature Kelly Racing Fuels. Perone said that they've been supplying fuel to race teams that headed for Florida to compete in the mid-February short track dirt and pavement events. He also sells fuel in the winter to snowmobile racers, and to TQ-Midget teams that run indoors. And, Perone's R&SOil Company, started eight years ago, supplies home heating oil to customers. Kelly Racing Fuels will service Williams Grove and Big Diamond each Friday night; while on Saturdays, the Kelly trucks can be found at Grandview, PA and N.J.'s Wall Stadium. Methanol race fuel is used at the Grove, Big Diamond and Grandview; while Wall competitors run Sunoco Racing Gasoline. The PA SPORTSMAN division uses gasoline as well. Perone also has a "...nice network" of dealers, who work through him to supply fuel to a number of Micro Sprint tracks each weekend. In addition, individual sprint and stock car teams use the Kelly-supplies products. Kelly Racing Fuel also supplies teams that run in SCCA Sports Car, Vintage Sports Car, and motorcycle meets at Pocono; to race driving schools; and special vintage automotive-related events such as that presented at Philadelphia's Fairmont Park. Perone drives the trucks that service Williams Grove and Wall each week, and his other drivers take care of Big Diamond and Grandview. "We just don't drive the trucks to the track and pump or distribute fuel," Rich said. "We're there as 'customer service representatives' - ready to answer and technical questions they may have about our product. It's part of the service we provide - we're representing 'Kelly Racing Fuel' and we're proud to represent those companies whose product we're selling." He noted that a number of teams prefer to buy their fuel from him ahead of time, ni bulk quantities, instead of on race night. Thus, they get a better "bulk" price and have one less thing to be concerned with when they get to the track. Others prefer to stop at the fuel truck right there in the pit area. But however the racers wish to do, he's more than willing to work with them and their particular needs. Importantly, he feels that the current swings in worldwide oil prices in the general economy, which have caused an increase in costs to motorists at the pump this winter, will not have an impact on the cost of fuel for race teams in 2009 - feeling that "...we don't foresee any major price increases in (racing) gasoline or methanol for this season. Racing gas has a tendancy to stay stable with pricing, not like pump (street vehicles) gas which can really fluctuate." Rich is a long-time race fan, and is also a "Quarter Midget Dad" at the near-to-home Oaklane track, as his son, 15-year-old Patrick, wheel lthe #17 quarter midgets. And Rich and Stacey's daughter, 12-year-old Monica, is aslo a very active driver in the quarter midget ranks. Kelly Racing Fuels may be contacted at 610-395-5135. |
