PROGRAM SUCCESS – SEPTEMBER 2010
PAGE 27
RACEWAY PETROLEUM
SEEKS TO EVICT
COMPANY’S ONLY
BLACK RACETRAC
GAS STATION OWNER
— Black Gas Station Owner Accuses Atlanta-Based
Company of Racism, Intimidation, and Violation of
Independent Operator Agreement.
— Calls for Nationwide Boycott of RaceTrac Gas
Stations.
Atlanta, GA — A nationwide boycott is being called against Raceway
Petroleum, the Atlanta GA-headquartered parent company that controls more
than 600 RaceTrac gas stations nationwide. The company is being cited for
racist treatment of its black-owned gas station operators.
Eric Banks, an historically black college and university (HBCU) graduate of
Grambling State University, operates the only two black-owned
RaceTrac/Raceway gas stations in the country with his family. Citing
retaliation and intimidation in response to numerous emails to
Raceway/RaceTrac corporate executives about the corporation’s failure to
honor the provisions of its franchising agreement, specifically RaceTrac
management’s harassment and botched maintenance repairs of leased
equipment required to be maintained by the company per the franchise
operating agreement, Banks and his family were given a 90-day notice stating
the company had determined Banks and his family no longer are the “right
fit” for their Ruston, LA location. The notice went on to inform Banks that
his Ruston gas station will be offered to another operator whom Banks has
confirmed is not black.
Banks’ Ruston, RaceTrac gas station is situated in a predominately “white,
republican neighborhood” that currently is undergoing extensive upscale
development. Former NBA player Karl Malone is building a shopping center
down the street and other new businesses have been or are being constructed.
“RaceTrac has strong armed and intimidated black operators for too long
while ‘pumping’ hundreds of millions of dollars from black communities
with virtually no black ownership,” says Banks. “Their efforts are part of a
long, and well-documented history of failing to offer equal access and
opportunity to black owners and when we do have an opportunity, the
company makes every effort to undermine our success.”
Since purchasing the gas station in 2008, the Banks family has endured
limited or obstructed access due to highway construction, but the major
obstructions to their operations have come directly from Raceway Petroleum
in the form of failed or botched repairs or other franchise agreement
violations by the company, designed to severely impact or cripple Banks’
ability to service his customers, which ultimately impacts the station’s
profitability. “The RaceTrac Petroleum contract expressly states we are
‘independent owner/operators’ and they have no say in how we run our
business,” asserts Banks. “But they have regularly given our employees
direct instructions and attempted to regulate how we manage and operate our
locations. It’s not only a violation of our contract with them; it’s a direct
attempt to circumvent basic franchise protections under federal law,” insists
Banks.
Not only have Banks and his family garnered thousands of signatures of
support from loyal white, black and Latino patrons, their Ruston, LA
location, once operationally-defunct, has set record sales volumes since the
family took it over in 2008. The Ruston location also holds special
significance for Banks because it’s where over 12 members of the family
attended college, and dreamed of one day returning to provide employment
not only to local college students but also to ex-offenders committed to
Eric Banks’ RaceWay location in Shreveport, Louisiana
rejoining and contributing to their communities. “This is not just a gas
station,” declares Banks, “it is a place of hope for the un-employable; a place
where they can earn an honest living and avoid returning to their past lives.”
Raceway Petroleum executives have cited in their 90-day notice that Banks
and his family “are no longer the right fit for this upscale location”. Company
officials also have informed Banks that he and his family could pursue other
RaceTrac locations elsewhere at a later date, but “just not here, not now”.
Banks and his family are determined to fight the company’s decision: “Our
patrons love our service and they don’t understand why RaceTrac would do
this,” offers Banks. Amid allegations that the prior owners not only stole local
patron’s credit card numbers, but also absconded with more than $100K in
fuel funds from RaceTrac, Banks and his family have vowed to stay put. “The
former owners - and Raceway Petroleum - totally violated the community’s
trust,” asserts Banks, “a trust that we painstakingly have earned back and we
demand the right to continue to serve our patrons and our community!”
You may contact Eric Banks at 214-402-5599; [email protected]