It looks like a few exotic dancers have taken up clogging to find a gig during the National Finals Rodeo, and they've traded a dancer's pole for a bar top outside the Thomas & Mack Center.

Three clothed but tantalizing dancers in western-style platform boots performed in the Coors Roadhouse tent bar. They probably violated unofficial clogging rules by not being motionless above the knees. Their feet tapped out a feverish beat that warmed the crowd -- at least those with testosterone -- on the chilly evening before Friday's second NFR performance.

The cloggers rated tops among the three dance teams employed to help entertain at the NFR's nightly free ProRodeo Experience, for which an NFR ticket isn't required.

U.S. Tobacco's Copenhagen Territory display trailer used two dancers to attract visitors ages 18 and older. The night might have made exotic dancing history, as each young lady wore gloves.

Two more shimmied and shook inside the Jack Daniels tent, which featured "Jack-ed" Up Hot Chocolate at $6 for adults. It's a deal because one shot of Jack Daniels Black sells there for $6.

The Daniels tent, which also has a mechanical bull, featured one of the night's most suspenseful moments -- even more dramatic than anything that happened in the rodeo.

One of the dancers pulled her arms inside her fleece jacket and began to slip off the outer garment. Alas, she was wearing a shirt underneath.

The Experience was expanded this year to help get fans to arrive earlier for the rodeo to ease traffic congestion. The alluring dancers sure seemed to do the trick.

Really, the Experience is tasteful -- and not just the hot chocolate -- for both sexes and all ages.

The Experience opens at 4 p.m. tonight and Sunday and an hour later on weekdays.

There's plenty of stuff to keep fans busy and it's free. Fans can park at the Thomas & Mack for $10 or catch one of the NFR shuttle buses from numerous locations at hotels on the Strip and Downtown.

For race fans, the Richard Petty Driving Experience has one of its stock cars on display and 26 interactive video screens, and the Richard Childress No. 07 Nextel Cup car is on display.

Also on the cellular front, Cingular has a guy walking around in a giant orange hat with a tray attached to his waistline that holds cell phones. Fans can make a free phone call on them.

The group The Skeeters began performing at 5:10 p.m. on the Academy of Country Music stage and played until the crowd moved into the arena. Taylor Swift performs tonight and Sunday night.

But the best part of the Experience is the 1,300-pound Stihl chainsaw that's as big as a car and powered by a 345-horsepower Dodge Hemi V8 engine. Its teeth are as big as fists and, it's claimed, can cut through a car in less than a minute. Nice to have if you need a parking spot at the mall the next few weeks.

The Experience is like a county fair on concrete and asphalt. But a county fair only features traditional clogging. The Experience has Vegas-style clogging.

• EARLY START -- Tonight's and Sunday's go-rounds begin at 5:45 p.m., an hour earlier than weekday performances. The 10th and final round on Dec. 9 also will start at 5:45.