Country music
Blake Shelton performs before the NASCAR All-Star auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Country star Blake Shelton named Indy 500 grand marshal

May. 26, 2022 03:30 PM EDT

FILE - Trace Adkins arrives at the 55th annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Adkins will perform the National Anthem at Sunday’s Daytona 500. (AP Photo/Ed Rode, File)
Trace Adkins to sing national anthem at sold-out Daytona 500

Feb. 15, 2022 11:59 AM EST

FILE - Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron holds aloft the ball he hit for his 715th career home in Atlanta. Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Jan. 22, 2021. He was 86. (AP Photo, File)
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2021

By Bernard Mcghee Dec. 10, 2021 01:48 PM EST

IndyCar driver and Tennessee native Josef Newgarden prepares to play in his charity ping pong tournament, Thursday Aug. 5, 2021 at Pins Mechanical Company in Nashville, Tenn. Newgarden won the tournament and hopes to take home a bigger trophy when IndyCar races Sunday through downtown Nashville. (AP Photo/Daniel Gelston)
Home, speed, home: Newgarden set to tame Nashville streets

By Dan Gelston Aug. 06, 2021 11:35 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 22, 2013, file photo, Jack Ingram, right, is congratulated by a guest after being named to the next class of inductees during an announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. Ingram, a hard-hosed, hot-tempered racer who won five NASCAR championships and more than 300 races, has died, the NASCAR Hall of Fame said Friday, June 25, 2021. He was 84. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
'Iron Man' racer, NASCAR champion Jack Ingram dies at 84

By Jenna Fryer Jun. 25, 2021 12:20 PM EDT

FILE - Jimmie Allen performs "Best Shot" at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. on June 5, 2019. Allen will be introduced today as singer of the national anthem prior to the May 30 Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Jimmie Allen tapped for Indianapolis 500 national anthem

By Jenna Fryer May. 18, 2021 12:34 PM EDT

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, center, talks with Georgia Tech's coach Geoff Collins, left, during the school's Pro Day football workout on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Latest: 13 sports joins Willie Nelson for vaccine PSA

By The Associated Press Mar. 23, 2021 12:26 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2007 file photo, the Dixie Chicks, Emily Robison, left, Natalie Maines, center, and Martie Maguire arrive for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Grammy-winning country group, who recently changed their name to The Chicks, have a new album "Gaslighter" out July 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)
How The Chicks dropped the word 'Dixie' from their name

By Kristin M. Hall Jul. 10, 2020 01:12 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 1999, file photo, drivers in the first 125-mile Daytona 500 qualifying race start the race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Daytona Beach became the unofficial "Birthplace of Speed" in 1903 when two men argued over who had the fastest horseless carriage and decided things in a race on the white, hard packed sand along the Atlantic Ocean.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Track: 5th straight sellout for season-opening Daytona 500

Feb. 13, 2020 07:17 PM EST

FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2019, file photo, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., speaks during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington. Cummings died from complications of longtime health challenges, his office said in a statement on Oct. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2019

By Bernard Mcghee Dec. 23, 2019 10:13 AM EST

FILE - In this July 20, 2019, file photo, Darius Rucker performs during the Group Therapy Tour at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rucker will perform a pre-race concert before the Daytona 500 in February. It will be Rucker’s fourth appearance at Daytona International Speedway and first at the “Great American Race,” which will again serve as NASCAR’s Cup Series season opener. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
Darius Rucker to perform pre-race concert before Daytona 500

Dec. 03, 2019 10:00 AM EST

The car of driver Tyler Reddick sits in the pits being worked on after practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race Friday, April 5, 2019, in Bristol, Tenn. The reigning Xfinity Series champion is piloting a Chevrolet at Bristol covered with country music icon Dolly Parton's face and her signature butterfly logo.(AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Dolly Parton makes NASCAR debut as sponsor at Bristol

Apr. 05, 2019 08:30 PM EDT

FILE - In this June 8, 2018, file photo, Country music singer Jake Owen performs at the 2018 CMA Music Festival at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. Owen will perform a pre-race concert ahead of the Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17. (Photo by Laura Roberts/Invision/AP, File)
Country music singer Jake Owen to perform before Daytona 500

Jan. 30, 2019 03:35 PM EST