How RaceTrac grew from 1934 Indiana startup to Southeast dominance
RaceTrac was founded in 1934 and relocated its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia in 1976 to anchor the company in its core growth region. Privately held by the Bolch family across three generations, RaceTrac has avoided the public-company quarterly-earnings cycle that shapes pricing and store investment decisions at many competitors. Carl Bolch Jr., the former CEO who led much of the modern company growth, passed away on December 26, 2025. The family ownership structure remains in place under the next generation. RaceTrac celebrates 90-plus years of operation in 2026.
RaceTrac, RaceWay, and the 1979 brand restructuring
In 1979 the company split its station portfolio along ownership lines. Company-operated stations were branded RaceTrac and remain corporate-run. Contractor-operated stations were branded RaceWay and operate under franchise-style agreements where the building, real estate, and fuel facilities are owned by RaceTrac, Inc. but the day-to-day store operations are run by independent operators. From a driver perspective the fuel quality and base economics are comparable at both brand banners. Combined, RaceTrac and RaceWay total more than 800 locations across 12 Southeast and Southern states.
The Gulf brand and RaceTrac's second 1,200 stations
Less widely known than the home brands, RaceTrac, Inc. also operates roughly 1,200 Gulf-branded gasoline stations across the Eastern United States. Gulf is a heritage US fuel brand originally established by Gulf Oil Corporation, one of the historic Seven Sisters of global oil. Through multiple corporate owners over the decades, the US Gulf retail brand eventually landed under RaceTrac's parent ownership. Combined with the 800-plus RaceTrac and RaceWay locations, the RaceTrac parent company operates roughly 2,000 fuel stations under three brand names, which makes RaceTrac Inc. one of the larger US fuel-retail groups by station count despite the regional brand recognition.
RaceTrac vs Buc-ee's, QuikTrip, and other Southeast competitors
RaceTrac competes in the Southeast and Southern US convenience-store fuel market against a strong regional set. Buc-ee's operates fewer but vastly larger stores along major interstates, with a destination experience that pulls drivers from miles off-route. QuikTrip competes for the same Southeast customer base with Top Tier-certified fuel and the QT Kitchens food program. Wawa is expanding from its Mid-Atlantic base into Florida, where RaceTrac is dominant. RaceTrac's positioning is low- price-first, with a coffee and fresh-food program rollout now underway to add experience-based differentiation. The fuel pricing typically tracks at the lower end of local retail ranges, which is the core RaceTrac value proposition.
Top Tier status and fuel quality
RaceTrac-branded gasoline is not currently listed on the Top Tier Detergent Gasoline certified-brands list at toptiergas.com. Modern engines designed for regular unleaded fuel will run fine on RaceTrac gasoline. Drivers who specifically want Top Tier additives can shop nearby brands such as Exxon and Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, or QuikTrip in markets where they overlap with RaceTrac coverage. Use the Gas Price Check ZIP search to see current RaceTrac prices alongside nearby Top Tier alternatives in your area.
