Whisky River Jacksonville - Grand Opening!

This is where it all began.  A simple sign posted with few people understanding what it really meant.  Until now! 

From This:

To This:

Most everyone in Jacksonville, Florida has been anxiously awaiting the grand opening of Whisky River at the St. John's Town Center.  The Whisky River chain is owned by NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and describes itself as a "unique blend of unpretentious charm, feel-good music and enticing food."  The menu includes all the bar-food favorites like two-wide burgers, chicken fingers, sweet potato fries and pizza.   They also claim to have some hot wings that are "seriously spicy."

I did not make the opening weekend events but read great comments on Facebook and other NASCAR blogs including comments from lots of local fans.  This is how one person described Jacksonville’s latest hotspot:  “Take two ounces of ROCK AND ROLL, an ounce of COUNTRY, add a splash of SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, mix and serve.”

I became very curious, being the NASCAR fan that I am, and decided to visit Whisky River to see it for myself.  Knowing the crowds that new nightspots can draw in Jacksonville, I decided it would be best to start with lunch first.  Plus, what better way to see the race from Texas than on several different size plasma televisions. 

Here is my report card of expectations BEFORE lunch:

MENU: typical bar food
DÉCOR: lots plasma televisions, more like a sports bar with little or no style
ATMOSPHERE:  Okay
STAFF: Hi ya’ll!
OVERALL:  Not very high expectations

Here is my report card AFTER lunch at Whisky River:

MENU: Enticing menu!  From Killer Wings to Pit Stop Pizza, lots of variety and great size proportions.  In fact, either come with a BIG appetite or bring someone to share the meal with you.

DÉCOR: I was right on part of my expectations.  There were lots of plasma televisions of all sizes! Fun cow printed bar stools and booths.  There is a great outdoor area for dining or just relaxing and watching the race on a Sunday afternoon.

ATMOSPHERE: It's a big place, 11,500 square feet, that's both club and restaurant. Three bars and lots of cowhide-print booths scattered along the front half. The back half has two more bars, a dance floor and a stage. It was very relaxing, at least at lunch time.  Come back later this week to read about the ‘after dark’ Whisky River experience.

STAFF: Friendly, no ya’lls were heard, and our beverage glass was never empty!

OVERALL: Absolutely wonderful!  I am geared up and ready to go back again!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.  My husband made the observation that there were only female servers and bartenders. He knew that the waitresses were called Whisky Chicks.  He even noticed what they were wearing from their leather vests, blue jean shorts to their cowboy boots.

After eating our lunch, I watched the others around me and listened to the conversations at their tables, as well as with their waitresses. I heard nothing but positive comments about the food, atmosphere and service while we were there.  Others asked what was in the corner section of the restaurant that looked like a saddle.  Why it is an electric bull! One Whisky Chick tried to encourage her guest to get up and take a ride.  But no takers!  Maybe this Wednesday we will get to see the bull in action!

There is even a special souvenir section where you can purchase hats, t-shirts and even a Whisky River custom designed motorcycle or awesome guitar.

Pretty awesome experience and looking forward to Wednesday night when we get to see a live performance of Luke Bryan.  So come back and see more pictures and a special blog about the night life at Whisky River.

In the meantime, check out their website at www.thewhiskyriver.com/jacksonville/
There are lots of graphics, so it may take a minute to load, but it's worth the wait!

Until next time…..

Happy Racing!

Checkered Flag for Jeff Gordon

Hi everyone! We're happy to have Racegirl back this week with another great blog post. This week, she's got a heart-warming story about Jeff Gordon.  Enjoy!

One of my favorite reality television programs is "Extreme Make Over: Home Edition". This show stands out to me because of the positive emotional impacts it has on the people the show deals with each week. And ask any of my family members, friends or co-workers—I can get a little emotional at times. So it’s no wonder I am drawn to a show that shares the emotions of the crew on the show, as well as the families they help.

This past Sunday, the show had a special guest ‘helper’—four time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon! I have always admired his driving abilities on the various Sprint Cup tracks, and after watching the television show, I saw a softer side of Jeff Gordon!
   
They built an amazing house for this special family. One of the bedrooms even had a custom painted front of a NASCAR stock car complete with a driver's seat and steering wheel. A flat screen television was installed in the car's front windshield area complete with the NASCAR video game. Above the car was the upper tier of a bunk bed.  How awesome is that?

Not only did Jeff Gordon help in building the family a remarkable new home, Jeff arranged for this family to extend their vacation at the Daytona International Raceway.  The family was given a very exclusive VIP tour that included ride-alongs for several of the family members. What a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Even Jeff Gordon was overcome with emotion as he watched the family tour their new home. He later admitted that he really wasn't prepared for the tidal wave of emotion that came with that sight.

Jeff Gordon is well known for being one of the NASCAR good guys. He has often found time in his busy schedule to lend his name and presence to worthy causes. This is especially true of the Jeff Gordon Foundation which places its focus on the medical needs of young children.

Jeff Gordon, a great NASCAR driver with a heart of gold, deserves a checkered flag for helping out this family in South Carolina. Now I understand more today why I love NASCAR. An exciting sport, great fans and great drivers! 

And speaking of great drivers, we have an exciting event coming up that we will be blogging about next week. The grand opening of Whisky River in Jacksonville, Florida takes place this weekend with a special party later in the week. We will be there ready to ‘ride the bull’ (well, maybe) and taking lots of photos to share with you. So don’t forget to come back next week!

Happy racing!

Racegirl

Ground Breaking Ceremony Takes Place for VJCG Amphitheatre

About a month ago, we told you about the generous donation Dale Jr. made to Victory Junction to help build a new amphitheatre for the children to use for a variety of camp activities.  We’re happy to report that the ground breaking for the amphitheatre recently took place on March 27, 2010!  The amphitheatre is scheduled for completion in October 2010 and will be called the Dale Jr. Corral and Amphitheatre. Here are a couple pictures from the exciting event:

Victory Junction is a year-round camp for children between the ages of 6 and 16 who have chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.  Located in Randleman, NC, the camp was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam Petty who died tragically during a Nationwide Series practice session in 2000.  Adam had a passion for helping children and had always dreamed of a way to change their lives. Since opening its doors in 2004, the camp has welcomed over 11,000 children from 47 states and three countries.  Although it costs $2,500 to send a child to the camp, none of the families have to bear the burden of this cost because it is covered by donations from generous donors.

The Dale Jr. Foundation sponsored the ground breaking ceremony weekend, and invited families and children with disabilities to come for the weekend and “try out” the camp. Twenty-one campers and their families came to visit and attend the ceremony.  Forty-four members of the Dale Jr. Fan Club also won the opportunity to attend the event.

Dale Jr. along with members of the Petty and Earnhardt families were in attendance for the ground breaking ceremony. During the event, Dale Jr. spoke about how much the camp means to him and how excited he is about the new amphitheatre.  Then Petty also surprised Dale Jr. with the “Sheriff of his Corral” – a miniature horse dressed up in a Sheriff’s costume!  The children gave Dale Jr. a thank you gift as well – a baby goat that the camp had proudly named “Jr.”

We’re excited to see what the new amphitheatre will look like when it’s finished.  Keep checking back and we’ll post more pictures and updates as we get them!


For more information on Victory Junction, please visit: www.victoryjunction.org.

For more information on the Dale Jr. Foundation, please visit: www.thedalejrfoundation.org

NASCAR Hall of Fame - Countdown to Opening Day

In less than two short months, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will make its grand opening in Charlotte!  The Hall of Fame is designed to be an interactive, entertainment attraction that honors the history and heritage of NASCAR.  From what I’ve read, it sounds like there will be lots to see and do!  Attractions will include NASCAR artifacts, interactive exhibits, a 275-person state-of-the-art theater and a Hall of Honor. There will also be a restaurant, retail outlet and a NASCAR Media Group operated broadcast studio.

Just as exciting as the opening of the Hall of Fame itself is the list of inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame.  This year’s class includes Bill France, Sr.; Richard Petty; Bill France, Jr.; Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.  The inductees were chosen from a list of 25 nominees.

The induction process is very extensive.  The main criteria for nomination are NASCAR accomplishments and contributions to the sport. To be eligible, former drivers must have competed 10 years in NASCAR and be retired from racing for a minimum of 3 years.  Non-drivers must have worked for at least 10 years in the industry.  Once the nominating committee selects the list of candidates, the voting committee casts its votes.  The voting committee consists of the 20 members of the nominating committee, 14 media representatives, 1 representative each from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota, 3 retired drivers, 3 retired owners, 3 retired crew chiefs and 1 fan vote.

Opening day is set for May 11, 2010 and will be celebrated with a day packed full of events including a free concert featuring the country music trio Love and Theft.  The trio is currently preparing to tour with Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum. To celebrate the final 50 days before the opening, fans are invited to take part in a 50-day countdown on Twitter and watch www.NASCARHall.com for 50 days of news about the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Each morning, a trivia question will be posted on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Twitter page (@NASCARHall).  The first fan who posts the correct response will win a prize pack.  The NASCAR Hall of Fame team will also reveal one feature of the facility each day on their website: www.NASCARHall.com/50days. 

Check it out and get a sneak peek!

NASCAR Pets

 

 

Racegirl here ready to share another story from my NASCAR travels!
So pet owners, start your engines!

Since I was a little girl, there was not a dog, cat, cow or animal I did not like.  Growing up in the country gave me the opportunity to have lots of different pets.  Some were my father’s farm animals, but he could never say no to me giving them each a name.  From Billy the billy goat that chased my grandmother up the sliding board the wrong way, to Charlie the skunk who thought he was a cat.  Pets in different shapes and different sizes surrounded my childhood.

I have three amazing dogs that I adore. 

Onyx is a senior black Labrador.  I say senior because the first thing most people ask when they meet him for the first time is “How old is that dog?” As you can see in the picture below, he has a lot of gray hair.  I myself find the gray to be very distinguishing and you could not ask for a better companion then Onyx.

The next member of our family is Winston.  He is two years old and a Miniature Pinscher metropolitan beach dog.  He loves to get pedicures, back massages and hates to get his feet wet!

Dude is our youngest and most entertaining family member.  He is a year old and a Miniature Pinscher beach dog that loves the sun, sand, and patrols our yard keeping all the squirrels away.  We say he has a Napoleon complex!

Here is my family:

Many traits define the NASCAR drivers we all love: talent, sponsorships, teams, car numbers and so forth; however, few think to identify the sport's top drivers by their four-legged companions. Considered to be a best friend off the track, drivers' dogs are becoming a larger part of their personas and celebrity status.

During my last trip to Charlotte, I stopped by to see a friend at JR Motorsports. When I walked in the lobby entrance, there was a blanket spread over the couch in the waiting area.  There were also large dog toys on the couch.  As I waiting for my friend, I asked the receptionist what the blanket and toys were for on the couch.  She said Killer is in the house. 

The good thing is I knew who Killer was. Killer is Dale Junior’s 70 pound Boxer that loves to ride in the car with him. Killer always demands the front seat and wants to go everywhere Dale Jr. goes. This dog is the son of Foster, Greg Biffle’s dog. Killer likes to chase cats when he’s not sleeping.  Here are some pictures I took of this extremely friendly and happy dog.

Dale Jr. is just one the NASCAR drivers to be seen on and off the track with his best friend. Denny Hamlin can be seen with his dog, Missy, who can bounce a basketball.  A.J. Allmendinger’s best friend Misty played a part in the movie “Marley & Me”.  And Kurt Busch’s two terriers, Lola and Ginger, are seen at the track with their Mom Eva, and have appeared in NASCAR pet calendars and books.

For Ryan Newman  and wife Krissie, their six dogs aren’t just adored animals – they’re family. So much so that this weekend, the Newmans released their second book “Pit Road: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, the Second Lap” at Bristol Motor Speedway. This new book celebrates the NASCAR community and their beloved furry, and sometimes even feathered, families. I just ordered my copy and cannot wait to read it.  I think I’ll even carry it to the next track I visit.  You never know whose ‘paw-agraph’ you can get!

Until next time, Happy Racing!

Short-track Racing Kicks Off at the "World's Fastest Half Mile"

After a weekend off, it’s time to leave the superspeedways behind and focus on short-track racing!  This weekend is the first short-track race of the season at the Bristol Motor Speedway – the "World's Fastest Half Mile”.  After that, it’s off Martinsville Speedway before the next break in the season.
Bristol is always an exciting race, but this weekend’s race could be more exciting than ever for several reasons:

1. Fans are waiting to see how the tensions between drivers will play out – particularly after the Edwards-Keselowski crash in Atlanta.  Chances are, NASCAR may not be as lenient on any offenders this weekend, so we’ll have to see how things play out.

2. Bristol marks the last race that the top 35 in the owners’ standings from 2009 will have a guaranteed spot.  Starting in Martinsville, the 2010 owners’ points standings will decide who gets a starting spot in the race. This could make this very interesting for drivers who have been hovering around that mark in the last few races.

3. Bristol also marks the last race where drivers will run the car as we have come to know it.  Starting in Martinsville, teams are expected to switch back to using a rear spoiler instead of a wing on the back of the car.

4. The track itself has also changed this year – the Steel and Foam Energy-Reduction (SAFER) barrier has been extended in turns 2 and 4, narrowing those areas by approximately 3 feet each.  The change was made to foster tighter racing – something fans have always loved about Bristol.

I’m excited about this weekend’s race – the short-track races are probably my favorite. Even though the speeds aren’t as fast as on the superspeedways, the close quarters on the short tracks allow fans to see the entire race and allow for non-stop action throughout the entire race.  I think that’s what gives these tracks their attitude and personality.  Here’s to another great weekend of racing!

NASCAR's Baby Boom

Maybe I just notice these things more now that I’m a parent, but it seems like there’s a baby boom happening in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season. There’s as much talk about babies these days during the races as there is talk about the race.  Let’s take a closer look at who’s adding to their families this season:

Elliott Sadler – Elliott and his wife Amanda welcomed baby Wyatt on February 15th. The timing of his birth played out perfectly – he was born 1 day after the Daytona 500 and 6 days before the next race in California.

Carl Edwards – Carl and his wife Kate became first time parents on February 24th with the birth of their daughter Anne.  There was a great deal of talk during the last two races as Carl was on baby-watch.  He had a private jet fueled and ready to fly him back to his home in Columbia, Missouri, and driver Erik Darnell was on standby to take Carl’s place in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races just in case. 

Jimmie Johnson – Jimmie and his wife Chandra are expecting their first child in July.

Jeff Gordon – Jeff and his wife Ingrid will welcome their second child this August.  The new baby will join sister Ella who will turn 3 in June.

Juan Pablo Montoya – Juan Pablo and his wife Connie are expecting their third child in July. The newest member of the Montoya family will have a brother – Sebastian, 5 and a sister – Paulina, 3.

It looks like these drivers will have more to talk about this season than the typical race talk!