CitiFinancial Race Car On Display During Las Vegas Market

Furniture World Magazine

As if the Las Vegas Market isn’t exiting enough, CitiFinancial Retail Services, in cooperation with Western Home Furnishings Association and its parent, National Home Furnishings Association, announced that CitiFinancial Racing’s No. 90 race car will be on display at its Mandalay Bay location, Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, 2006. While Mandalay Bay will play host to the race car in CitiFinancial Retail Services’ space at WHFA’s satellite Retailer Resource Center, the RRC in the World Market Center will offer retailers a full complement of amenities, including a coffee bar, Internet café and industry trade show. CitiFinancial Retail Services will have exhibit space in both locations. According to WHFA Executive Director Sharron Bradley, the No. 90 Ford Taurus will be the highlight of a variety of attractions and events. “We’re excited to have CitiFinancial Retail Services as a partner in Las Vegas and pleased that they see the value in bringing out their new car,” she said. CitiFinancial Racing is sponsoring 19 NASCAR Busch Series races in 2005 – the first time it has taken the primary sponsorship on a NASCAR racing car. The company has stated that it will continue the associate sponsorship deals that it initiated this year with Robert Yates Racing on its No. 88 UPS Ford and No. 38 M&M Ford, which compete in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, but will hold full sponsorship on the No. 90 Ford Taurus. The red, white and blue race car was unveiled in December 2004 in New York City at an annual Street & Smith NASCAR Motorsports forum, part of NASCAR's Champion's Week in the Big Apple. Drivers Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler will share seat time in the CitiFinancial Racing car, which will make its track debut on Feb. 26 at the California Speedway. The 19-race deal also includes NASCAR's debut in Mexico. The NASCAR Busch Series is the second highest-rated motor sport in the United States and offers a great mix of rising young stars and established veterans competing week in and week out. All 34 of its events are broadcast live on FOX/NBC or FX/TNT. CitiFinancial spokesman Robert Julavits said NASCAR is the second most popular sport behind NFL football. “We found that the fan base of NASCAR matches up with our employee base and customer base so we decided to take [our sponsorship] a step farther this year," he said. In addition to having the car on hand, CitiFinancial Retail Services, NHFA and WHFA will host a racing-themed “Tailgate Party”, which will be open to all retailers/buyers at market. The party will feature the fun and excitement of a real racing tailgater, including BBQ, hot wings, salad and sausage, kegs of cold beer, live Vegas-style entertainment and a retailer networking opportunity. The Tailgate Party is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2006, 5:30-7:00 p.m., Mandalay Bay – South Pacific Ballroom “F”. Attendees may pick up a party “pit pass” at the CitiFinancial Retail Services booth in the World Market Center, RRC, space 210, or at the Mandalay Bay satellite location, space 62090. For more information, contact WHFA’s Cindi Williams, (916) 960-0277, cwilliams@whfa.org, or log onto Western Home Furnishings Association’s website, www.WHFA.org. About CitiFinancial Retail Services CitiFinancial Retail Services, a division of Citicorp Trust Bank, FSB, offers private label credit cards to help retailers strengthen customer relationships. They provide financing for furniture, mattresses and bedding, carpets and flooring, heating and air-conditioning, appliances and consumer electronics, as well as products across many other industries. About NHFA National Home Furnishings Association is the nation’s largest organization devoted specifically to the needs and interests of home furnishings retailers. NHFA’s membership comprises 2000 corporate entities representing 10,000 stores in all 50 states and several foreign countries. About WHFA The Western Home Furnishings Association is member-owned and the largest affiliate of the National Home Furnishings Association, providing programs, services, and networking opportunities to western home furnishings retailers since 1944.