The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Sony Pictures will begin selling merchandise this week online and at-track for one of the most anticipated comedies of the year - "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

While "Talladega Nights", starring television and movie star Will Ferrell, hits theatres August 4, merchandise for the movie goes on sale this Thursday. In addition to being available online at NASCAR.com, NASCAR-licensed film merchandise will be available at track for the first time at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Ferrell, who will be playing NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby, will be the grand marshal for Sunday's Aaron's 499 (FOX, 1:30 p.m. EST).

In "Talladega Nights", Ricky Bobby drives the Wonder Bread car, and like real-life NASCAR drivers, Ricky and his team will be selling a slew of merchandise to NASCAR fans - everything from Ricky Bobby Wonder Bread hats and T-shirts to Ricky Bobby fire suit jackets and die-cast cars. The Ricky Bobby paraphernalia, which also includes watches, backpacks and mouse pads, will be sold in a merchandise hauler on souvenir row at the racetrack, right next to the merchandise trailers of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and the rest of NASCAR's real-life stars.

Close to 10 different licensees will be selling movie merchandise either on NASCAR.com and/or in a "Talladega Nights"-specific hauler, with Motorsports Authentics, J.H. Design Group, Checkered Flag Sports and Gametime LLC leading the way with several different lines of shirts, jackets, watches and more.

As part of this weekend's merchandise launch, Motorsports Authentics will be running a promotion awarding fans with an opportunity to meet Ferrell and get their movie merchandise signed by the former "Saturday Night Live" star turned mega-movie star and NASCAR fan. All fans purchasing movie merchandise at-track between Thursday and Saturday at 1 p.m. will be entered into a drawing that will ultimately reward 50 lucky fans with a Sunday autograph session with Ferrell.

"We think 'Talladega Nights' is going to be a hit with our fans, and they'll want to join in the fun with the official merchandise from the film," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing and consumer products. "It makes perfect sense that the merchandise would make its debut this weekend at the film's namesake track. It's unique and innovative to have the merchandise of a fictitious sports star right next to the gear of the sport's real heroes. Having Will Ferrell there at the track makes it even better."