Hank Williams, Jr. photo courtesy of Curb Records.

The worlds of NASCAR and country music once again collide for the fifth annual Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust on Jan. 8-9, 2010 in Nashville.  Since its inception, the event has attracted an estimated 40,000 fans and has raised more than $800,000 for Victory Junction (a year-round camping experience founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty for children, ages 6-16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses) and the  Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum.

Hank Williams Jr. kicks off the two-day event at the Grand Ole Opry on the Ryman stage, Friday, Jan. 8. Also performing will be Chris Young, plus there will be a special performance from NASCAR legend Kyle Petty and his band, with more artists to be added soon. There will also be appearances by NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne and others, during the Friday night event.

On Saturday, Jan. 9 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, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, and David Stremme, along with country music stars Jason Michael Carroll, Josh Turner, members of Diamond Rio, and Chris Young with more drivers and country music artists joining the star-studded line-up in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the Opry at the Ryman shows on Friday, Jan. 8 (ranging from $32 to $54) and the festival on Jan. 9 ($20 for adults and $12 for children) are on sale and are available through TicketMaster (ticketmaster.com) and at opry.com.  Combination tickets, good for the Opry and the festival, will go on sale Dec. 2 and range from $55 to $69.  Visit www.soundandspeed.org for more information and updates.