Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks business, airport restaurants and more

CHARLOTTE — Next week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns 49. For those who remember him as NASCAR’s frosted blonde young gun of the early 2000s, glimpsing Dale Jr. on Thursday autographing a children’s book for fans during a visit to his decidedly nonthreatening restaurant at Charlotte Douglas International Airport hammered home how fast life’s left turns change your perspective.

Wearing a button-down shirt, rectangular black glasses and Lululemon pants — he acknowledged his wardrobe still includes plenty of Wranglers from his days pitching jeans — Dale Jr. has retained a high-profile perch in racing while tending to his Whisky River restaurants and other business interests.

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With his wife, Amy, and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who steered her brother’s negotiations throughout his driving career, Dale Jr. has, over the years, created and nurtured a podcast company (Dirty Mo Media), developed a post-racing broadcast career with NBC Sports, published several books, and remained a pitchman for various companies, including Charlotte-based Bojangles.

Five years ago, he and Amy became parents of a daughter, Isla Rose. They have since had a second daughter, Nicole Lorraine. Fully domesticated, Dale Jr. just published his second children’s book, the racing-themed “Buster Gets Back on Track,” with plans for at least two more sequels.

On Thursday morning, Earnhardt paid his first visit to Whisky River in several years and pronounced himself happy with its condition. He licensed the sports-bar concept to HMSHost, the company that runs all concessions at Charlotte Douglas, and two more locations have since opened at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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He talked with CBJ about the evolution of Whisky River from EpiCentre nightclub to the airport restaurant model as well as his business philosophy, endorsement offers and more. Read the interview here.

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