Notice there's no one else in Victory Lane. They're all asleep. Credit: Autostock

We wonder ... after Daytona

Lots of interesting things to ponder after Daytona

...how many fans were actually awake at the end of the Pepsi 400.

Sure, it was only 10:50 p.m. on the west coast when Tony Stewart crossed the line at Daytona. But the fact remains that it was 1:50 in the morning on the east coast. Sure, it was Saturday night, but people that were still awake at 1:50 a.m. Sunday probably don't remember they were awake.

...we you all as scared for Tony Stewart as we were.

DO YOU WONDER? Tell us what has you shaking your head

When he got out of his car at the start-finish line after winning Saturday night, we weren't sure what he was going to do. Then he started climbing -- and we started worrying.

Then, did you all see when he almost fell coming down near the starter's stand? Our writers were afraid they were going to follow an ambulance at 2:30 in the morning.

Thankfully, Stewart regained his balance, and, we hope, his senses.

...why we don't end the season at Daytona.

Could you imagine how exciting that would be. The title decided on a restrictor-plate track? Talk about a grand finale.

We can hear people saying that the title shouldn't be decided by "The Big One," but in a way, isn't it already?

...if anyone understood one word Lisa Marie Presley sang Saturday night.

What did you say? Credit: AP

We know the song was allegedly called "Thanks," but other than that, we were all searching for some sort of lyric sheet on the Internet so that we could follow along.

By the way, we already miss the piano car.

...what's up with all the dogs in the garage area.

As always happens during a rain delay, we see a lot of interviews in drivers' RVs. It seems like every driver in the Nextel Cup Series has a dog -- or two.

Is that a trend? Is it the cool thing to do? More importantly, does everyone borrow dog food from Elliott Sadler. After all, he does have the Pedigree sponsorship.

...if anyone has a tape of Boris Said passing out in the middle of an interview with Bill Weber.

Said told a story during the rain delay Saturday about how he passed out in the middle of an interview with Bill Weber when Weber was covering the old Firehawk Series.

We also wonder what the question was that finally knocked old Boris out.

More importantly, did it rhyme?

...who Kasey Kahne was talking about Saturday.

Kahne was being interviewed by Dave Burns during Saturday's endless rain delay. Burns asked him how many guys in the garage area would he like to be his teammate.

...what will happen to NASCAR years down the road.

NBC did a feature on how younger drivers don't see themselves racing as long as maybe a Mark Martin or a Rusty Wallace.

Greg Biffle told our Marty Smith recently that there are not enough quality drivers to fill the quality rides now. How do you think it will be when the great drivers don't hang around as long?

...if Dave Burns was hurt in that waterskiing jump Friday at Daytona.

If you missed it, Burns was waterskiing on Lake Lloyd during TNT's coverage of Bud Pole Qualifying on Friday. When he attempted to do a jump, he slammed the water on his ...uh ... backside.

He was actually on his rear before he even left the ramp.

...when Martin Truex Jr. was planning to announce his contract extension if he hadn't won Friday night.

There's no doubt that a three-year contract extension is an exciting announcement to make. Still, some of the luster would have been taken off if Truex had wrecked out.

Yeah, our car is a bucket of bolts, but at least I have that three-year contract extension to fall back on.

It's just not the same, is it?

...why SPEED hasn't renamed NASCAR This Morning.

When the Nextel Cup race is on Saturday night, SPEED's preview show usually goes on the air at 5:30 p.m. ET. Despite that, it's still called NASCAR This Morning.

Most of us in this office remember the times in our lives when 5:30 p.m. was considered "morning," but we don't think this is the audience that the network is going for.

We guess it's always morning somewhere.

...if anyone considered leaving DEI after the team's big meeting.

Richie Gilmore said during Saturday's pre-race show that the team was told they were going to have meetings after every practice session and if people couldn't work in that atmosphere, then they could leave.

Did that thought cross anyone's mind? Did anyone leave?

...where's the in-car camera when we need it.

Muddy watersKyle Busch sends Carl Edwards spinning Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Can you imagine what an in-car shot of Carl Edwards' wild ride through the grass during Friday night's Busch Series race would have looked like from an in-car camera?

Edwards' face probably looked like Wile E. Coyote's after he falls from the cliff into a muddy river.

...who'll end up in the No. 2 Dodge next season.

Clearly, Martin Truex Jr. was Penske Racing's choice, but after Truex announced his re-upping with DEI on Friday night, the No. 2 bunch appears to be back to ground zero.

We think Sam Hornish Jr. would be an interesting choice. He's a marketable guy. He's proven he can drive and he already is employed by Penske Racing in the IRL.

Sounds easy.