Sound & Speed: NASCAR fans like country music! Who knew?

It's a little-known secret, but NASCAR fans actually have a bit of an affinity for country music. I know, I was pretty surprised to learn it too, but here we are. Anyway, this past weekend in Nashville, NASCAR drivers and country music performers came together for a festival of speed and sound dubbed -- imagine this -- "Sound & Speed."

The event began Friday night at the legendary Ryman Auditorium with a concert by Hank Williams Jr. But as it turned out, Bocephus was just the opening act for Kyle Petty, who's got a band of his own. And let me tell you, for a country singer, Kyle's a hell of a driver. (Kidding. I guess. I have no idea what the Kyle Petty Experience, or whatever their band name is, sounds like. Video/audio, please!)

Things kicked into a higher gear (see what I did there?) on Saturday with a big to-do featuring a few drivers you may have heard of: Richard Petty, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and oh so many others. Country music acts included Josh Turner, Bucky Covington, Danielle Peck and a whole bunch of good ol' American others.

On a serious note (see what I did there?), the festival benefits Kyle's Victory Junction Gang Camp, and helps send up to 400 kids to the camp every year. Since the campers don't pay anything to go, the camp needs up to $8 million per year to operate, and Sound & Speed helps with that.

After the jump, a Sound & Speed promo that's the most horrifying video you'll see all year. Don't say I didn't warn you.

You know, that trailer there for "Basic Instinct 3" doesn't look good at all. Sharon Stone has really let herself go.

Joey Logano, cool as ice while cruising on ice

NASCAR drivers will race pretty much anything up to and including grocery store carts if you let 'em, and this past weekend, Joey Logano and his pals proved that true yet again.  Logano, Boris Said and others hit the ice for the fifth annual Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge. Alas, there was no grocery cart racing, but the bobsleds cruised just fine.

The challenge pitting NASCAR and NHRA drivers against one another took place at Lake Placid, New York. Those of you with a bit of age on you may recall that Lake Placid was the site of the U.S. men's hockey team's Miracle on Ice. And should you recall that "do you believe in miracles?" evening, this'll make you feel old -- when that happened, Logano was still ten years away from being born. Jeez.

Anyway, the young pup was running in his third bobsled event, and bested Todd Bodine in the NASCAR drivers' heat to reach the championship match. Against the NHRA's Melanie Troxel, the first woman to run the event, Logano's run of 49.81 seconds bested Troxel's 50.08 by thismuch.

The event benefits the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, designed to provide American-made sleds for the U.S. men's and women's teams. (Wait, doesn't Logano drive a Toyo--er, never mind.) And with the Winter Olympics coming in a month, it's probably about time the Olympic team starts thinking about buying some sleds. The event will be shown on SPEED on Jan. 24 and Jan. 31.

And the fun doesn't stop for Logano; Monday morning, he was the guest of honor at his hometown Middlesex County, Connecticut's Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast. I hope they had a waffle-making station. I love those.

Icing the Competition [Hartford Courant]

Midnight Marbles, where the season draws ever closer

Hey everybody! Been fairly quiet in the world of NASCAR these last few weeks, but that's all about to change the closer that we get to Daytona. We've got news, podcasts, features, the whole deal coming your way as we get closer to starting engines by the beach, and we're happy to have you along. For now, kick back and enjoy the last few quiet weekends -- spend a little time with your family, perhaps -- and get ready for an absolutely wide-open 2010. Have at it here with whatever conversation you'd like to make, and we'll see you very soon with more stuff!