Columbus Man Wins VIP NASCAR Experience by Using His U.S. Bank Visa Card; Experience Will Include ''Hot Lap'' with Driver at Coca-Cola 600 on May 30.

Sports Editors/Business Editors

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2004

It's going to be the experience of a lifetime for Wally Neidenthal of Gahanna, Ohio. Simply by using his U.S. Bank Visa(R) card, Neidenthal won Visa's Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience promotion.

When he made a purchase using his U.S. Bank Visa card, he was automatically entered into Visa's Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience sweepstakes. Now, he and his family will experience VIP access to the Coca-Cola 600, a NASCAR(R) Nextel Cup Series race on Sunday, May 30 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

The comprehensive prize package includes round-trip air travel to the race, plush trackside accommodations aboard the Visa luxury motor coach on the infield, and an official team uniform to wear on race day. Additionally, he will receive special access at the race, including a behind-the-scenes look at life and action inside the garage and along pit row, an invitation to attend the official pre-race driver's meeting, and a "hot lap" around the track with a NASCAR superstar - Rusty Wallace or Kurt Busch. As part of the promotion, Neidenthal could also receive a $10,000 Visa gift card and get to celebrate with Wallace or Busch if one of them wins the race that day.

Neidenthal, 57, is a native of Columbus and a long-time member of the downtown Columbus business community. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from The Ohio State University and is an attorney with Luper, Neidenthal and Logan (LNL) in the LeVeque Tower in downtown Columbus. Joining him on the trip will be his wife of 31 years, Betsy, who is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Columbus, their daughter, Sara, who works in Chicago, and a long-time family friend, Neil Sima.

Neidenthal and his wife have attended races through the years at the Mid Ohio Race Track and the Indy 500, though they have never been to a NASCAR event nor have they had a racing experience like this before. "My wife and I have been reading up on NASCAR and learning the latest in racing from my motor head friends," Neidenthal said. "We're quickly becoming NASCAR fans and will certainly be cheering for Rusty Wallace and Kurt Busch."

"The Visa Ultimate NASCAR Experience promotion gives us at U.S. Bank a chance to link to the most loyal fans in America," said Dave Sceva, market president for U.S. Bank in Columbus, who also happens to be a die-hard NASCAR enthusiast with his own racing team, Ward Sceva Team 51 Racing. "We're thrilled for Wally and his family and hope all of our Visa cardholders keep using their card throughout the year for a chance to win this sweepstakes in the future."

When cardholders use their Visa card to make a purchase from February 1 through November 30, 2004, they are automatically entered in Visa's Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience sweepstakes. No purchase or obligation is necessary to enter or win. A total of ten prize packages will be awarded over the duration of the 2004 NASCAR(R) season as part of the promotion. For additional information, including consumer sweepstakes official rules, visit www.visa.com/nascar.

"Visa and U.S. Bank wanted to give cardholders the opportunity to win an experience like no other this year, and to be able to share it with friends or family," said Bob Pifke, senior vice president, Marketing Services, Visa U.S.A. "Visa's Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience promotion offers cardholders a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the high-octane excitement of NASCAR(R) and the chance to win $10,000 if Rusty or Kurt win the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race during their race weekend."

About Visa

Visa is the world's leading payment brand and largest consumer payment system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and merchant customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives. Nearly 21,000 financial institutions worldwide rely on Visa's processing system, VisaNet, to facilitate $2.5 trillion in annual transaction volume with virtually 100 percent reliability. Consumers in more than 150 countries carry more than one billion Visa-branded cards, accepted at millions of locations worldwide. Within the U.S., nearly 14,000 financial institutions issue 396 million Visa cards, accounting for more than $1 trillion in annual transaction volume. Visa offers a trusted, reliable and convenient way to access and mobilize financial resources - anytime, anywhere, anyway. For more information about Visa, please visit www.visa.com.

About U.S. Bancorp

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), with assets of $192 billion, is the 7th largest financial services holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,275 banking offices and 4,472 ATMs in 24 states and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee which assures customers of certain key banking benefits and services or customers will be paid for their inconvenience. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

Media note: Dave Sceva, U.S. Bank market president for Columbus and racing enthusiast, will give the Neidenthals an official send-off Wednesday, May 26 at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Bank branch located at 175 South Third in downtown Columbus.