Whisky River giving Junior a new way to keep sane (cont'd)

Then again, Junior doesn't need 1,300 of his supposedly and frequently self-acclaimed closest friends to have a good time away from the track. A few truly close ones will do.

He credits one of those, former Daytona Beach bartender J.R. Rhodes, with helping him turn the concept of Whisky River into a reality. Rhodes is the mover and shaker behind the scenes, taking care of all the little details that have brought the place to life. Earnhardt also enlisted the help of a female interior designer, with the end result being a place that sort of is a cross between something straight out of Star Wars (you gotta love the little glowing lights embedded in the bar) and Gunsmoke, what with the aforementioned mechanical bull and imitation cowhide on the backs of chairs and VIP booths.

“

You won't ever see me on that[mechanical bull] before midnight, I'll tell you that.

”

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Speaking of the VIP booths, the Web site promises "it's the equivalent of being in the pits on race day ... you know, except for the 100-decibel engines and having to watch out for oil stains on the ground." That currently is the only visible reference to racing on the entire site, which, like the nightclub itself, is still going through the final, little-detail stages of construction prior to this weekend's Grand Opening for the public.

Tables in the VIP areas can be had for a mere $400 and $300, respectively, but before doth protest too much, that down payment is then applied to your progressive drink tab.

What's in a name?

The name for Whisky River comes from the Western-style saloon Junior built on his property just outside of Charlotte.

"I built that Western town right next to the creek on my property and we named it Whisky River after the Willie Nelson song," Earnhardt said. "When we started building this I was still with Bud, and we couldn't name it that. We had a bunch of other names that were pretty cool, but when we parted ways with Bud, I was like, 'We have to name it Whisky River. It's such a cool name.'

"We had other names with Junior in it and they sounded cheesy. People want to go to Whisky River. They don't want to go to Junior's Bar or Junior's Garage. That's just not my style. I don't wear my name on my belt. The name gives the bar a personality that I can't give it."

Yet when one looks closely enough, Earnhardt's personality is all over the place. It is a large and calculated part of its appeal.

No kitchen? Who cares? There is cold beer, a giant (and we do mean GIANT) bottle of Jack Daniel's behind the main bar, and, of course, the requisite coolers filled with 20-ounce cans of AMP Energy Drink to keep everyone going well past midnight.

On Thursdays, management promises to bring in "the best in local, regional and national acts from the worlds of country and rock 'n' roll." Recording artist Gary Allan, representing what Earnhardt considers one of the best combination acts of both worlds, was to play the stage for a special, invite-only Grand Opening on Wednesday. Members of select race teams, sans girlfriends, got the invite as Earnhardt reluctantly had to scale back the guest-list to accommodate the local fire marshal's occupancy limit.

The general public can begin wrapping its hands around the place this weekend. Or as the Web site says, folks can "experience the crazy Whisky Party that will have you wondering why you ever went anywhere else. Plus, you never know who might drop by and really Amp up your night."

The truth is, Junior won't be there all that much and will no doubt attempt to keep a low profile in a VIP booth when he is. He does have his day job, you know. And he is quick to remind everyone that he only owns a piece of the place; he doesn't drive himself crazy with the day-to-day details of running it, nor does he have all that much time to hang out there. His focus, he promises, is on driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

It's just that everyone needs something to do on the side, something to occasionally take their minds off the rigors and pressures of a Sprint Cup race season that grinds on for nine and a half months.

"People think I'm on the phone wheeling and dealing, ordering the beer and liquor and positioning everything like I want it. I'm not the one doing that," Earnhardt said. "I'm racing in Phoenix, for crying out loud."

But folks can dream, can't they? After all, the Whisky River Web site also asks: "Can you just picture your boss standing on stage singing with the band? How about Eileen in accounting riding the bull?"

Eileen in accounting? We care even less about that than the fact that there currently is no kitchen. How about Junior on the bull instead?

"You won't ever see me on that thing before midnight, I'll tell you that," he said, smiling.