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Providian Gives Customers a Chance to Win the Ultimate NASCAR Experience; Visa Promotion Rewards NASCAR Fans and Loyal Cardholders with the Weekend of a Lifetime

SAN FRANCISCO--Aug. 1, 20040, 2004--A lucky Providian cardholder will soon experience the heart-pounding excitement of NASCAR(R) racing and find out exactly why it's America's fastest-growing sport. Through the Visa 2004 Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience promotion, Providian Visa(R) cardholders have the chance to win an unforgettable weekend of VIP access to the NASCAR 2004 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona, November 5-7, 2004. It will be an experience like no other -- from a behind-the-scenes look at life inside the garage and along pit row, to rubbing elbows with the top drivers and pit crews, winners will get a firsthand look at all the action leading up to and including the big race.

When cardholders use their Providian Visa card to make a purchase from June 1 and September 15, 2004, they are automatically entered to win. One winner will receive the grand prize, which includes round-trip airfare and ground transportation, weekend accommodations in a luxury motor coach at the track, VIP access and attendance at the pre-race driver's meeting, and a hot lap in a pace car with either Rusty Wallace or Kurt Busch. Each of four first place winners will receive a 42" Panasonic plasma screen TV, and 250 second place winners will receive a NASCAR Gift Pack, which includes an exclusive NASCAR-licensed cooler pack, water bottle, and tire pressure gauge.

"Providian's NASCAR Sweepstakes is a fun and exciting opportunity to reward our customers for their business," said Warren Wilcox, vice chairman of Planning and Marketing for Providian. "In conjunction with our partners at Visa, we're excited to be able to provide Providian cardholders the chance to travel to Phoenix and experience the race first-hand, or to enjoy one of our first or second prizes."

The more times Providian cardholders use their Visa card, the more times they are automatically entered to win. Winners will be randomly selected throughout the promotional period. No purchase or obligation is necessary to enter or win.

"Visa's Ultimate NASCAR(R) Experience promotion gives loyal Providian cardholders a chance to experience the excitement of the biggest thing in motorsports, NASCAR racing, something they can only get from Visa," said Bob Pifke, senior vice president, Marketing Services, Visa U.S.A. "The chance to win an 'insider's look' at a NASCAR event is just one more way to reward Visa cardholders for choosing and using Visa."

To enter without purchase or obligation, consumers also can mail an entry to: VISA(R) and Providian NASCAR Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 11393, South Bend, IN, 46634-0393. Entries must be postmarked by 9/15/04 and received by 9/22/04.

About Providian

San Francisco-based Providian Financial Corp. (www.providian.com) is a leading provider of credit cards to mainstream American consumers throughout the United States. By combining experience, analysis and technology, Providian seeks to build long-lasting relationships with its customers by providing products and services that meet their evolving financial needs.

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.