The two-day event begins on Friday, Dec. 9, with the Ryan Newman Foundation Charity Dinner and Auction at the Statesville Civic Center. Attendees will spend the evening with NASCAR celebrities and professional anglers including Martin Truex Jr., Regan Smith, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Kevin Van Dam. Guests will enjoy Southern cuisine, a silent auction, and entertainment provided by Nashville song writers Billy Montana and Kendell Marvel.

The bass tournament, presented by Bass Pro Shops, kicks off Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Weigh-ins begin at 3:30 p.m. and will once again be facilitated by BASS with special guest emcee Mark Zona. Tournament winners will be determined by total weight (five fish per team) and only large-mouth and spotted bass may be weighed.

A Chicken Port-O-Pit dinner will be held at Blythe during the Saturday weigh-ins from 3 to 6 p.m., which is open to the public at a cost of $10 per person. The Ryan Newman Foundation was established in January of 2005 by Ryan and Krissie Newman.

Its mission is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters, as well as to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation.