Sound & Speed festival to feature events on Jan. 8-9

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For the fifth consecutive year, the worlds of country music and NASCAR will collide this weekend in Music City for Sprint Sound & Speed presented by SunTrust.

Since its inception, the event has attracted an estimated 40,000 fans and has raised more than $800,000 for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year-round camping experience founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Some of the greatest names in country music will kick off the two-day event Friday at the Ryman Auditorium. The special night of music will include two shows, 7 and 9:30 p.m. CT, with Hank Williams Jr. (9:30 p.m. show), Chris Young and a special performance from Petty and his band. More artists are soon to be added.

There will also be appearances featuring drivers Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and others during the Jan. 8 event.

On Saturday, the event continues at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium, where fans of racing and country music will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with drivers, team owners and top-name artists for autographs, story-telling, and question-and-answer sessions.

The fan event will feature show car and sponsor displays, as well as a charitable auction with memorabilia from the racing and entertainment industries. Among the NASCAR stars scheduled to appear are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Michael Waltrip, plus Hank Williams Jr., Danny Gokey, Chris Young, Jason Michael Carroll, Josh Turner, members of Diamond Rio and more.

Tickets for the Ryman shows on Friday (ranging from $42 to $54) and the festival on Saturday ($20 for adults and $15 for children) are are available through TicketMaster (ticketmaster.com) and at opry.com. Combination tickets, good for the Opry and the festival, range from $55 to $69.

Visit www.soundandspeed.org for more information and updates.