Jeff Byrd 500 national anthem

Popular country music star, actor, and songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus will sing the national anthem at the Jeff Byrd 500 presented by Food City.

The popular Jeff Byrd 500 presented by Food City takes place March 20, 2011.

It is the fourth race in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup series, following the Kobalt Tools 400 on March 6, which was won by Carl Edwards.

Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner.

Past singers of the national anthem at the Food City 500 incude 4TROOPS (2010), Ashton Shepherd (2009), Danielle Peck (2008), and Billy Currington (2007).

Cyrus is no stranger to singing the national anthem. Here he sings the national anthem at Lucas Oil Stadium, before the NFL contest between the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans on 11/01/2010.

Jeff Byrd 500 green flag time

jeff byrd 500 green flag time

The Jeff Byrd 500, a.k.a. Food City 500, takes place in Bristol, Tennessee, on March 20, 2011.

Jimmie Johnson, the defending race winner, will look for a repeat victory here and a shot at moving higher in the Sprint Cup points standings. He is in 12th place after finishing 16th in the Kobalt 400 in Las Vegas on March 6, 2011.

What: Jeff Byrd 500 presented by Food City
Where: Bristol Tennessee
When: 1:00 pm ET, March 20, 2011
Green flag time: 1:13 pm ET
Television: FOX, 1:00 pm, with pre-race show at 12:00 noon
Radio: PRN, with coverage beginning 12:00 noon
Defending champion: Jimmie Johnson (2010 purse: $199,978)

Past champions include:

2010 – Jimmie Johnson
2009 – Kyle Busch
2008 – Jeff Burton
2007 – Kyle Busch
2006 – Kurt Busch
2005 – Kevin Harvick
2004 – Kurt Busch
2003 – Kurt Busch
2002 – Kurt Busch
2001 – Elliott Sadler
2000 – Rusty Wallace

The NASCAR Sprint Cup points leaders heading into Bristol are as follows.

1 – Tony Stewart
2 – Kurt Busch
3 – Carl Edwards
4 – Juan Pablo Montoya
5 – Ryan Newman
6 – Paul Menard
7 – Martin Truex, Jr.
8 – Denny Hamlin
9 – A.J. Allmendinger
10 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.