BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Site preparation is underway for a long-rumored project hoping to catch rerouted traffic.
It seems like talk of a truck stop is older than the Starke bypass. Now work at the corner of County Road 227 and U.S. 301 is making way for RaceTrac, which acquired the 7-plus-acre parcel last November.
Bradford’s Building and Zoning Department confirmed the gas station/truck stop.
The company began in Missouri in 1934 and went on to pioneer the concept of self-service gas stations in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. By the late 1970s, they had adopted the RaceTrac branding and relocated the corporate headquarters to Atlanta.
A further evolution took place in 2004 with the introduction of fresh food offerings including sandwiches, wraps, salads and more. As the number of locations grew, so did their footprint. Larger parking lots and stores provided more seating and shoppable area along with amenities like free Wi-Fi. Last year, the first electric vehicle charging station were installed at an Alabama location, with plans to expand the charging network in years to come. The year 2023 also brought another milestone — the largest acquisition in the company’s history — Gulf Oil LLC.
With the closest locations in Middleburg and Palatka and many more throughout the South, locals might already be familiar with RaceTrac’s offerings, from breakfast in the morning to pizza in the evening, along with other hot foods, fruit and snacks, Swirl World ice cream, doughnuts and pastries, a variety of beverages, and the ability to order ahead.
