PURCHASE, N.Y., May 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s popular No. 88 Chevrolet went "dark" today thanks to fans of "The Dark Knight Rises" and Mountain Dew® (DEW).  Following a week and a half of voting at DEWCrew.com, Earnhardt revealed which "Dark Knight"-inspired paint scheme will be featured on the hood of his No. 88 Chevrolet in Michigan next month.  In addition to the Bat Shield on the hood, the redesign features Batman and Bane, Gotham City's newest villain, on either side of the car.  The unveiling continues to drive anticipation for Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' The Dark Knight Rises, before the film's opening day, July 20.

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"DEW and 'Dark Knight' fans have spoken, and it's pretty cool that the paint scheme they picked is the one I helped create," remarked Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.  "Now that the winning design has been selected, I can't wait to see how fans will react to the car on the track in Michigan."

Members of the DEW Crew were given the option of four different paint schemes to vote on, with each capturing a different element featured in the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.  The winning design was revealed by Earnhardt and select DEW Crew members at the Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest in Concord, N.C., and will race for the first time in Michigan on June 15.

"We're not surprised that the DEW Crew chose the scheme with both Batman and Bane as the winning 'Dark Knight'-inspired design for Dale's Diet Mountain Dew No. 88 car," said Brett O'Brien, Vice President of Marketing for Mountain Dew.  "Aside from the Tumbler, I don't think you could find a cooler ride."

Mountain Dew will be bringing fans more unique Dark Knight-inspired experiences next month with a new limited-time-only flavor, Mtn Dew Dark Berry, inspired by the film, and special 16-oz cans of DEW that feature a bat symbol that transforms to the distinctive green color of DEW when chilled. The limited-time offerings will hit shelves in mid-June.

For more information on Mountain Dew and its The Dark Knight Rises promotion, visit 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