WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- You know subliminal messaging is working when, on the way to a promotional event in upstate Rochester, N.Y., you make a move in traffic and find yourself saying, "that won't get me an Allstate safe driver bonus check!"

But on the eve of Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen, for hundreds of Rochester area patrons of the Sunoco A Plus Mini Mart on East Henrietta Road, the subliminal met reality last Thursday.

“

That's the great thing about NASCAR, its closeness and how accessible the drivers and the crew members are to the fans.

”

ED WATKINS

Four of Sprint Cup driver Elliott Sadler's over-the-wall pit crew for Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 Dodge spent more than two hours plugging the race 90 minutes to the south at Watkins Glen International, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Allstate and Sunoco's involvement in it.

If there was any question how these guys consistently crank off 13-second pit stops, their roles as Allstate "Safety Patrol" spokesmen proved it. They're just plain smooth operators.

"Good morning, thanks for coming in today -- we're here on behalf of NASCAR, Allstate and Sunoco," went the typical banter. "Congratulations on being a safe driver -- I see you're wearing your seat belt, so please accept this $15 gas card courtesy of Sunoco; and please contact your local Allstate agent if you have a question about how you can get your safe driver bonus check."

No kidding -- if these guys ever wear out from jacking racecars, lugging or changing tires or toting gas cans, they've got backup careers already in place; in sales.

Unloading ice cubes to Eskimos would be a snap.

How else do you explain a woman politely asking Sadler's jack man, Ed Watkins, to leave the gas line and come over and make a picture with her and her young child?

She passed the request through one of about a dozen intermediaries who wandered the property, pitching in and keeping it organized. And after waiting easily more than 20 minutes to get fuel, meeting a group of bona fide professional athletes had her -- and dozens of others -- just plain giddy.

She delayed leaving a little longer while Watkins strolled over in his Best Buy firesuit and shook her hand before posing for her keepsake shot. (Continued)