Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hits Track in Special No. 88

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hits Track in Special No. 88

Diet Mountain Dew®/"The Dark Knight Rises"/National Guard Chevrolet, Goes Side-by-Side with Iconic Tumbler from the Epic Trilogy

PURCHASE, N.Y., June 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mountain Dew® and Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought "The Dark Knight Rises" to Brooklyn, Michigan for a few laps on Thursday, June 14. Earnhardt, who will be driving a special No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/"The Dark Knight Rises"-inspiredChevrolet in Sunday's race, tested at the two-mile track before going alongside Batman's iconic Tumbler during demonstration laps around the speedway.

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(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120615/MM24456)

"I'm excited to finally get the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew 'The Dark Knight Rises'-inspired Chevrolet out on the track," said Earnhardt, driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "And it was cool to draft with the Dark Knight Tumbler."

Earnhardt asked DEW Crew members in May to vote on one of four paint schemes inspired by this summer's most-anticipated blockbuster and third installment of the Dark Knight trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises." The winning design - for which Earnhardt provided creative input -- features the Bat Shield on the hood and the faces of the film's two leading characters, Batman and Bane, on either side.

Thirsty for more? Mountain Dew is hosting ultimate "The Dark Knight Rises" fan experiences both on and offline:


-- Starting now, a new limited-time-only flavor, Mtn Dew Dark Berry
inspired by "The Dark Knight Rises" is available nationwide for eight
weeks.
-- Select 16-oz cans of DEW will use thermochromic ink to feature the Bat
Symbol that transforms to a distinctive green color of DEW when chilled.
The limited-time 16 oz. cans are now on shelves.
-- Mountain Dew will unlock DEWGothamCity.com on Monday, June 18, providing
fans with unprecedented access into a virtual Gotham City.
-- Fans that participate in the DEWGothamCity.com experience and enter
product codes from specially marked packages of DEW and Fountain Cups
will earn points to redeem for DEW or "The Dark Knight Rises" gear, or
for sweepstakes entries for a chance to win exclusive prizes.
Launched earlier this season, the DEW Crew gives Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans access to exclusive No. 88 team-related content and the chance to vote on potential paint schemes, fire suits, and activities in races throughout the year. The term, originally used in the 1980s to describe the pit crew working on Darrell Waltrip's No. 11 Mountain Dew Buick, has now evolved to encompass both Earnhardt's pit crew as well as JR Nation. Fans can join the DEW Crew at www.dewcrew.com.

For more information on Mountain Dew and "The Dark Knight Rises," including details on how to enter for a chance to win tickets to the film's July 16 premiere in New York City, go to facebook.com/mountaindew or follow @mtn_dew on Twitter.

About Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew, a product of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, is the No. 1 flavored carbonated soft drink in the U.S. With its one-of-a-kind citrus taste, Mountain Dew exhilarates and quenches with every sip. In addition to original Mountain Dew® and Diet Mountain Dew®, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Code Red®, Mountain Dew LiveWire®, Mountain Dew Throwback®, Mountain Dew Voltage® and Mountain Dew White Out®. For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com, www.facebook.com/mountaindew or follow on Twitter @mtn_dew.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola - make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About "The Dark Knight Rises"

Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, "The Dark Knight Rises" stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman. Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. "The Dark Knight Rises" is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight Rises," to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language. www.thedarkknightrises.com

Media Contacts:

Andrea Foote

914-253-2628
andrea.foote@pepsico.com


Ryan Eichler

312-988-2053
reichler@webershandwick.com

SOURCE PepsiCo

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PepsiCo

Web Site: http://www.pepsico.com


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