Then again ...

On the morning of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, there was an eye-catching breakfast gathering at Doc Bales' restaurant in the Hilton Ocean Walk hotel.

The group at a large table, front and center, included Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates, owners of the NASCAR organization that bears both their names, along with Michael Waltrip Racing executive vice president Cal Wells and Michael Waltrip's partner and money man, Rob Kauffman.

"Rob Kauffman said he wanted to meet Chip and me," Sabates said matter-of-factly at the Speedway later that afternoon.

Indeed, you could construe the meeting as a convivial breakfast between men with common interests. Ganassi and Wells have a history together in the open-wheel ranks, where Ganassi is a titan, with two Indianapolis 500 victories and an Indy Racing League title to his credit.

Kauffman, who lives in London, owns an automobile restoration shop, RK Collection, located right around the corner from Ganassi's race shop in Concord, N.C.

"In fact, when I was looking around to figure out how to configure (the shop) and looking for ideas on how to set up the flooring and the lighting, I actually got a tour of his facility," Kauffman said Saturday evening after the drivers' meeting at Daytona.