Memorabilia items up for auction at Sound & Speed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A dream race weekend package at the Aaron's 499 at Talledega Superspeedway in April, a guitar signed by the award-winning country music duo Big & Rich, and a Tennessee Titans hard hat autographed by Kyle Vanden Bosch are among the many items up for charitable auction during Saturday's Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust Fan Festival at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium.

The two-day celebration of music and motorsports kicks off its fourth year Friday at Nashville's Sommet Center with a country concert headlined by Montgomery Gentry, featuring Rodney Atkins with special guest Julianne Hough beginning at 8 p.m. Central.

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The action then heats up during Saturday's Fan Festival at Municipal Auditorium, where fans of racing and country music will once again have the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with drivers, team owners and top-name artists featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Ernie Irvan, Kyle Petty, Michael Waltrip, Denny Hamlin, Josh Turner, Jason Michael Carroll and many others, including Dierks Bentley, who graciously took time from his performance schedule to support the charitable event by signing autographs at 10 a.m., then participating in the Fan Q&A immediately afterward before heading back on the road.

The blockbuster event will also feature show car and sponsor displays, as well as a charitable auction with memorabilia from the racing and entertainment industries.

In addition to the above-mentioned items, others up for auction include: a NASCAR helmet autographed by Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth; a helmet visor signed by Tony Stewart; a guitar signed by more than 30 country music artists and drivers; autographed shoes and hat worn by Greg Biffle; a Gretchen Wilson-autographed CD, photo and framed lyrics to her hit, Redneck Woman; a CD and photo autographed by Sara Evans; an 8x10 photo, CD, hat and jean jacket autographed by Brooks and Dunn; and a No. 88 Sprint Cup Series die-cast signed by Earnhardt.

For the fourth consecutive year, proceeds from the auction, as part of the Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust event, benefit Victory Junction (a year-round camping environment for children, ages 6-16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses) and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The first three Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust events drew an estimated 40,000 fans and raised more than $800,000 for its designated charities.

Newly added to the illustrious Fan Festival NASCAR celebrity lineup are Camping World Truck Series driver Colin Braun, IRL driver Ryan Briscoe and SPEED personality Rutledge Wood. They'll join already-announced NASCAR celebrities Ray Everhman, Reed Sorensen, David Stremme, Aric Almirola, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Burney Lamar, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series stars Wayne Taylor, Max Angelelli and Brian Frisselle, NHRA drag racing's Doug Herbert and Sam Bass, one of the most highly acclaimed artists in the history of American motorsports.

The country music artist lineup already announced for the Saturday Fan Festival includes members of Diamond Rio, Rick Huckaby, Kate and Kacey, Josh Osborne and members of the Grand Ole Opry Charlie Louvin and Connie Smith. Newly announced to the artist lineup are Aaron Tippin, Danielle Peck, 2008 Nashville Star finalist Gabe Garcia and Crystal Shawanda.

The Sprint Cup Series show car lineup for the Saturday Fan Fest includes the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing driven by Joey Logano, the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing driven by Kevin Harvick, and the No. 14 Chevrolet for newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing driven by Tony Stewart.

Tickets for the concert and the Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust Fan Festival are available through TicketMaster and through the Web site http://www.soundandspeed.org/. Concert tickets are priced at $35 (Level 1), $25 (Level 2) and $17.50 (Level 3). Festival tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. Combination tickets, good for the concert and the fan festival, are priced at $50 (Concert Level 1), $40 (Level 2) and $35 (Level 3).

For more information, visit http://www.soundandspeed.org/.