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NASCAR WCUP: Driver Robby Gordon to display Rocky and Bullwinkle at Daytona

28 June 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Team Gordon Revs Its Engines on July 1st at the Pepsi 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Race

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG) and Rocky and Bullwinkle join NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver/owner Robby Gordon at the 2000 Pepsi 400 race at the Daytona International Speedway, which will be televised on CBS at 8pm eastern time Saturday, July 1st (check local listings).

Gordons Ford turtle Wax/Duracell Taurus #13 car will feature Rocky and Bullwinkle along with the villainous Boris and Natasha in a special themed paint scheme to coincide with the Universal Pictures June 30 theatrical release of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. An innovative and irreverent live-action/animated comedy adventure based on Jay Wards classic cartoon, the film combines the talents of Robert De Niro as the insidious Fearless Leader, Jason Alexander as the evil Boris Badenov and Rene Russo as the seductress Natasha Fatale.

"NASCARs adult fans grew up with Rocky and Bullwinkle and the special paint scheme featured on Robbys car will be enjoyed by both adult fans and their children with the release of the movie," said Elliot Lederman, vice president of licensing and motorsports, Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "The film provides a perfect fit for Universal, NASCAR and its all-family audience. Fans can bring home a souvenir die-cast replica of the Rocky and Bullwinkle car, produced by Action Performance and Team Caliber."

In the recently announced agreement, USCPG represents Team Gordon for exclusive merchandising, licensing and promotional programs and is an associate sponsor during the season. Gordons Ford Taurus #13 car features Woody Woodpecker as the official team mascot through the 2002 season.

The last race to feature a special paint scheme was on April 30th at the NAPA Autoparts 500, California Speedway where Gordons car featured Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble and Puppy Dino in conjunction with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainments release of The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.

Born in Bellflower, California, Gordon had won national motocross events by age 15, including his first race on four wheels, the desert Nevada 500, driving one of his dads buggies. In 1986, he teamed with his father to win four off-road races en route to the SCORE/HDRA championship. To date, Robby Gordon has a winning record in a variety of racing sports including Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), International Race of Champions (IROC), and SCORE International (off-road racing). Most recently, Robby Gordon finished sixth in the Indy 500 and then went on to race in NASCARS Coca-Cola 600 race the same evening.

Rocky & Bullwinkle products ranging from toys and apparel to housewares and candy and food are also available nationwide at Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us, K-Mart, Target, K.B. Toys and FAO Schwarz as well as specialty outlets, Universal Studios theme parks and on-line channels such as whatshotnow.com and Universal Studios website http://www.universalstudios.com/store.

The Universal Studios state-of-the-art merchandise trailer - 53 feet long and 13 feet high will visit NASCAR Winston Cup events through the end of the 2002 season featuring Woody Woodpecker #13 NASCAR Winston Cup Team merchandise. Merchandise includes a range of apparel, souvenirs, die-cast replica collectibles and other memorabilia ranging in price from $3 to $500. Team Woody merchandise will also be available through NASCAR specialty stores, online at www.watereesportsgroup.com, and major retail stores nationwide.

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com) a diversified entertainment company and worldwide leader in motion pictures, television, home and location based entertainment. Universal Studios is a unit of The Seagram Company, Ltd., a global entertainment and beverage company.

Text provided by Kinnon Marshall

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.