Spectator Sports

Auto Racing -- NASCAR racing is a Southern institution, and every Saturday aspiring stock-car drivers race their cars at the Music City Motorplex (tel. 615/726-1818; www.musiccitymotorplex.com) on the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The race season, which runs from April through November, also includes several pro series races, as well as a celebrity charity race. Saturday admission is $10, while tickets to the pro races run $60 and up.

The Music City Raceway, 3302 Ivy Point Rd., Goodlettsville (tel. 615/876-0981; www.musiccityraceway.com), is the place to catch National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag-racing action. The drag strip, known as Nashville's "Playground of Power," has races on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and some Sundays between March and October. Admission is $10.

Baseball -- The Nashville Sounds (tel. 615/242-4371; www.nashvillesounds.com), a Triple-A team affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, play at Greer Stadium, 534 Chestnut St., off Eighth Avenue South. Admission ranges from $6 general to $10 for reserved box seats ($5-$9 for children).

Football -- Perennial playoff favorites the Tennessee Titans draw loyal crowds to the 68,000-seat LP Field on the banks of the Cumberland River. The stadium is at 1 Titans Way, Nashville, TN 37213 (tel. 615/565-4200; www.titansonline.com).

Golf Tournaments -- Vanderbilt Legends Club (tel. 615/791-8100) hosts an annual LPGA event each spring. Call for prices and dates.

Hockey -- Nashville's own NHL hockey team, the Nashville Predators (tel. 615/770-PUCK; www.nashvillepredators.com), plays at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on lower Broadway in downtown Nashville. Ticket prices range from $10 to $95.

Horse Shows -- Horse shows are important events on the Nashville area's calendar. The biggest and most important horse show of the year is the Annual Tennessee Walking-Horse National Celebration (tel. 931/684-5915; www.twhnc.com). This show takes place 40 miles southeast of Nashville in the town of Shelbyville and is held each year in late August. Advance reserved ticket prices range from $7 to $20, while general-admission tickets are $5 to $12.

The city's other big horse event is the annual running of the Iroquois Steeplechase (tel. 615/322-7284) on the second Saturday in May. This is one of the oldest steeplechase races in the country and is held in Percy Warner Park in the Belle Meade area. Proceeds from the race benefit the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Tickets are $12 at the gate or $10 in advance.