Spectator Sports

Auto Racing -- NASCAR racing is a Southern institution, and every Saturday aspiring stock-car drivers race their cars at the Nashville Speedway USA (tel. 615/726-1818; www.nashvillespeedway.com) on the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The race season, which runs from April through September, also includes several pro series races, as well as a celebrity charity race. Saturday admission is $15, while tickets to the pro races run $35 to $45.

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 Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and some Sundays between March and October. Admission is $5 to $10 for adults; children 12 and under enter free.

Baseball -- The Nashville Sounds (tel. 615/242-4371; www.nashvillesounds.com), a triple-A team affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, 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 -- Ever since moving to Nashville (from Houston, where they were the Oilers) in 1999, the Tennessee Titans have drawn loyal crowds to the 68,000-seat Nashville Coliseum on the banks of the Cumberland River. AFC champions in 2000, the Titans are perennial favorites for the playoffs. The stadium is at 1 Titans Way, Nashville, TN 37213 (tel. 615/565-4200; www.titansonline.com).

Golf Tournaments -- The BellSouth Senior Classic (tel. 615/871-PUTT [7888]) brings in the top players on the PGA Senior Tour and is held each year in June at the Springhouse Golf Club near the Opryland Hotel. Call for ticket prices and dates.

Hockey -- Nashville's own NHL hockey team, the Nashville Predators (tel. 615/770-PUCK [7825]; 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). This show takes place 40 miles (64km) southeast of Nashville in the town of Shelbyville and is held each year in late August. Advance reserved ticket prices range from $7 to $15, while general-admission tickets are $5 to $10.

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.