Carl Bolch Jr., whose father Carl Bolch Sr. founded convenience-store chain RaceTrac, died Dec. 26. He was 82, according to his obituary.
Bolch Jr. (pictured below) joined Atlanta-based RaceTrac as CEO in 1967 and led the transformation of the company into a high-volume retail fuel discounter and leader in the c-store industry, RaceTrac said in a Dec. 31 LinkedIn post.
“Throughout his more than five decades of service, Carl embraced change and innovation while championing customer convenience,” the post said. “His incredible foresight, insatiable intellect, business acumen and vision made an indelible mark on RaceTrac and the fuel and convenience store industries. Carl truly was an inspiration to us all. The entire RaceTrac team extends our deepest condolences to Carl’s family. He will be missed dearly.”
Bolch Jr. retired as RaceTrac’s CEO in December 2012, becoming executive chairman of the board until 2024. He was serving as chairman emeritus of RaceTrac when he died. His daughter, Natalie Morhous, has been CEO of the company since January 2024. Bolch Jr. won CSP’s Retail Leader of the Year award in 2009, and Morhous won it in 2023.
RaceTrac grew under Bolch Jr.’s leadership
As CEO of RaceTrac, Bolch Jr. built a reputation for thinking outside the box, taking calculated risks and delivering one-line zingers in meetings that would be repeated for years to come, his obituary said.
“He became a pioneer in the convenience-store retail gasoline industry, driving innovation and redefining convenience for millions of convenience-store consumers,” his obituary said. “Under his leadership, he introduced self-service fuel in the South and led RaceTrac through the fuel crisis of the 1970s and a recession in the early 2000s. Additionally, Bolch vertically integrated RaceTrac's fuel supply and distribution in the 1990s and introduced pay-at-the-pump technology at the turn of the 21st century.”
He was a past president of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) and past chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), the first person ever to hold both positions, his obituary said.
- RaceTrac is No. 17 on CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. RaceWay is No. 35.
Under his leadership, RaceTrac grew from 100 stores in two states to more than 800 stores in 14 states, now employing 10,000 team members.
Today, RaceTrac’s retail brands include more than 800 RaceTrac and RaceWay retail locations, about 1,200 Gulf-branded locations and more than 445 Potbelly neighborhood sandwich shops throughout the United States.
Philanthropic work and family
Bolch Jr. also sought to improve the lives of others through his philanthropy, his obituary said. He served on the board of directors of Camp Sunshine for over 35 years and on the board of the Atlanta Rotary Club.
He served on the Patient Council for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, “an organization that was near and dear to his heart as he, himself, suffered from Parkinson's,” his obituary said. In lieu of flowers, the Bolch family request donations be made in Bolch’s name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Bolch Jr. is survived by his wife, Susan, of 44 years, and five children: Carl III, Allison (Crawford Moran), Natalie (Hunter Morhous), Melanie (Steve Isbill) and Jordan (Jessica). He’s also survived by his seven grandchildren (Marjorie, Margaret, Rawson, Wilson, Lily Ray, Edward and Hailey) with another granddaughter on the way, his obituary said. Allison Moran was also CEO from 2012 to 2017, and his daughter, Melanie Isbill, is RaceTrac’s chief brand officer.
“Admiringly dubbed the ‘Quiet Man’ by his industry peers both for his personality and his humility, Bolch Jr. was fond of the maxims, ‘Make failure your friend,’ and ‘Better to be lucky than smart.’ Throughout his life, he was guided by the former. As to the latter, he was undeniably both,” his obituary said.
The family has requested the funeral service remain an intimate gathering for those who had a personal connection with Bolch Jr. Others can watch the livestream link at 10 a.m. CST Tuesday.
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