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LOCAL BUSINESS NASCAR's Gordon will carry Lithia Motors logo during Sunday's CHEEZ-IT 355 race Jeff Gordon's car will carry company logo at Watkins Glen Sunday Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 4:00 PM Updated Aug 5, 2016 at 5:45 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 4:00 PM Updated Aug 5, 2016 at 5:45 PM » Social News Local NASCAR devotees may see a familiar logo flashing down the tortuous 2.45-mile track Sunday at Watkins Glen, N.Y. The Axalta-sponsored Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet SS will carry the Lithia Motors logo on its backside — known as the TV panel — during the CHEEZ-IT 355 race. NASCAR legend-turned-commentator Jeff Gordon will be behind the wheel of the car, usually driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is recovering from concussion-like symptoms carrying over from a June 12 crash at Michigan International Speedway. While NASCAR vehicles are covered grill to exhaust pipe with dozens of national sponsor decals, Lithia isn't typically among them. Lithia historically has focused sponsorship efforts on local or regional events and endeavors, said Tom Dobry, the auto retailer's marketing vice president. "It’s one of the few times you’re likely to see Lithia promoted on a national stage," Dobry said. Major sponsors work with team owners such as Penske or Hendrick, Dobry said, to sell space on the car. "They might sell out the hood, back deck or front corner panels for the season," he said. "In some cases, it's like a timeshare for regional sponsorship space." Lithia's three hours of stock car fame is the result of its association with Axalta, which supplies the company's body-shop paint. "We've been asking them to put us on the back of car, so getting on at Watkins Glen was great," said Bruce Childers, Lithia's vice president of fixed operations. "We're going to press them to make this an annual deal." Lithia Motors unit DCH Auto Group has a heavy concentration in New York and New Jersey with about 1,000 employees. "We weren't thinking so much about national exposure as we were thinking about our people in the Northeast who will get quite a kick out of this," Dobry said. DCH Auto Group will have its logo on the rear roof strip, and no doubt a few fans will make their way to the race. Lithia will also have a pit-wall banner. NASCAR knows the art of extracting an immense revenue stream from its mobile billboards. "It's the heart of their enterprise," Dobry said. "They know there are so many eyeballs watching and so many people following racing." NASCAR customers are loyal to the point of buying only Tide if that's the sponsor of their favorite driver, he said. "There are reams of research about how the fans align themselves," he said. "If it's Miller Lite, you can never get them off that." One of Lithia's biggest plunges into the world of athletics was the 2009 Special Olympics World Championships in Boise, Idaho, Dobry said. "We have a big Ford store over there, and it was exciting to be on the same stage as Coca-Cola." Still, a one-time fling may lead to other things. "It's not something we've done in the past," said Body Shop Director Craig Jesmer, who left for Sunday's race Friday morning. "But I'm hopeful we can do it in the future." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles .31. By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 4:00 PM Updated Aug 5, 2016 at 5:45 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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