This press release just in from American Honda:

“Honda Racing goes Hollywood as Universal Studios does a mummy-makeover on race
teams

“Honda Racing’s primary team sponsor, Universal Studios, will showcase their latest feature-length film, The Mummy Returns,with special bike and rider graphics at Las Vegas’s (sic) AMA Supercross and Sears Point’s AMA Superbike road race on May 5-6.

“The Mummy Returns, the latest in the series of motion picture adventures begun in the 1999 worldwide smash The Mummy,will be released in theaters nationwide on May 4, 2001.

“Team Honda’s Sebastien Tortelli and Miguel Duhamel will join in The Mummy Returns excitement. Tortelli’s specially designed uniform and CR250R–emblazoned with gold scorpions–will be the highlight at Round 16 of the AMA/EA Sports Supercross Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 5. Road racing fans will enjoy Duhamel’s striking black and gold uniform and RC51 at Round 2 of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California on Sunday, May 6.

“The innovative, feature-length motion picture and motorsports promotion is one of several collaborations resulting from American Honda’s multi-year partnership with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG). Announced in November 2000, the sponsorship agreement also features Universal Studios’ animated character Woody Woodpecker as Team Mascot for both the Honda Motocross Racing Team and the Honda Road Racing Team.

“With the launch of The Mummy Returns,Universal Studios becomes the primary theme sponsor for both the Sears Point Superbike road race and the Las Vegas Supercross. This is the first of four such sponsorships in 2001 and 2002 in which Universal Studios films will be showcased with special designs on the bodywork and uniform of a selected Honda motocross rider and road racing rider.

“Universal Studios represents the merchandising and promotional rights to the Honda Racing Team riders, including jointly developed designs, such as The Mummy Returns Honda Racing promotion.

“Later this summer, Jurassic Park III–the third chapter of one of the most successful film franchises in Universal Studios’ history–will be highlighted with special graphics for Nicky Hayden and his RC51 Superbike at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California and Ezra Lusk and his CR250R motocrosser at Red Bud, Michigan.”