Dear Mr. Tony Kenney,

Thank you for owning and managing the amazing gas station chain that is Speedway. Speedway is a very important place to me and the rest of my teammates on the cross country team. Our team has a long-standing tradition of going to a certain Speedway after our morning runs in the summer and buying slushies there. The Speedway in question is located on the corner of Douglas Road and Alexis Road in Toledo, Ohio. That Speedway and those slushies have made an unbreakable bond between us as a team and help outline the growth of myself as a person.

When I was a freshman on the cross country team, I had never been inside a Speedway gas station before. The first time we went to Speedway that summer, I had a small fear of ordering things on my own. I remember going to the slushie machine and filling up a cup, only to lose control of it and have it spill all over the floor. My face was flushing with embarrassment as my fingers dripped with the sticky drink. The lady at the cashier groaned, and she came over with a mop. I was then made to mop up the mess I created, hearing the slushie shlosh away and being tantalized by its smell ringing in my nostrils.

The next memory I had of Speedway was when I got my card. Usually, I had been forced onto other people’s cards, and my naivety prohibited me from getting my own. However, one time no one pushed me onto their card, so after I bought my slushie, the cashier asked if I wanted to get a Speedy Rewards card. I accepted her offer, and began the next chapter of my life as a Speedway customer, now with the power of a Speedy Rewards Membership Card. I can remember the next time I went to Speedway, but this time, endowed with a magical card. The next time we visited was the first time I could use this new power.

The small membership card fumbled in my tiny freshman fingers. It was smooth to the

touch, and shaped, like most other cards, as a curved rectangle. But there was something different about this curved rectangle. I glanced at it and saw the bright gold star that filled the front emblazoned with a small saying: “Fast, Free & Easy!”. The deep blue background of the card contrasted with the gold star and the black lettering. I flipped the card over and gazed at the wordy legal text that surrounded a black and white barcode. I whispered out a quick ‘thank you’ to the cashier as she scanned the card, marking in the vast computer system of Speedway that I had bought my first of the six sweet slushies required to earn a seventh one for free. She handed the card back to me, and I thrust it into my pocket as I grabbed my slushie and scurried out of the door, heading to the ice coolers where the rest of the team was talking and laughing, smiling as I enjoyed my new ice cold slushie.

As a sophomore, I had become a lot more brash with trying to convince people to use my card. As the rewards program gives you 1 of every 7 slushies for free, I only needed to convince 6 teammates per visit to remove myself of the responsibility of actually paying for a slushie. I would jostle my way amongst my team, begging the few who did not have their own card to jump onto mine. The sounds of the beep as the cashier scanned each card mean that my smile got a little bit wider each time. I would see the receipts print out, and, if I fulfilled my machine, one of those receipts would read something about presenting the receipt at my next visit for an extra slushie. I would gladly take a fistful of these receipts and shove them into my pocket for use later in getting a free slushie. The best part about getting a free slushie was the fact that I could get one of the ginormous 52-ounce ones, and it would still cost me absolutely nothing.

The manager at this Speedway my team and I always invaded is a great person. She is about 40 years old. She is pretty large, and she carries a fairly stoic demeanor. However, every once in a while, she will let out a little laugh while observing the antics of the cross country team. Generally, it is when someone spills a slushie and gets really distressed about it. When this happens, she will bring over a mop, and whatever criminal spilled the slushie will clean up his mess. She is usually very happy to see the team, mostly because it means a lot of money in the cash register. Still, there is definitely an unspoken bond between the team and this particular Speedway, and, by extension, she as manager is part of this bond.

After we bought our slushies, we would oftentimes head out to the ice coolers beside the gas station to socialize. I would walk out of the gas station and turn to the ice coolers. The rest of the team would already be there, enjoying their slushies and talking and laughing. I would join in and listen to one of the seniors tell a story that is probably made up while the other tiny freshmen listen in wonder. The sound of cars zooming past would fill my ears. There would be a slight smell of cigarettes, as the ice coolers where the team congregates seemed to be the same place the gas station employees took their smoke breaks. I would pull down one of the milk crates and sit down and talk with my friend, going over our run today and our plans for the weekend.

The trip to Speedway has changed a lot for me over the years. The last time I was at Speedway, I was in control of a car and stopped at a pump full of gas. I would have to pay for the gas I was about to use, and then fill up the newfound responsibility of the car. This is in stark contrast to my carefree years before, when my biggest concern was how many people I would be able to get on my Speedway Card for that day. Speedway has definitely been able to serve as an outline of my personal growth to becoming a mature person. It has been with me throughout my running career, and it is something I will continue to be part of for, hopefully, the rest of my life.

In conclusion, Mr. Kenney, all I really have to say is thank you. You have allowed for Speedway to become something that is much more than a gas station filled with a convenience store full of impulse buys. Whenever I pay for something at Speedway, it feels worth it, because it is a dollar being contributed to what is undoubtedly one of the best businesses in America. I ask that you continue promoting the great brand that is Speedway.

Sincerely,

Patrick D.