CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From his seat in the bright orange No. 20, Tony Stewart spent a decade driving his way to superstardom while helping Joe Gibbs Racing become one of NASCAR’s top teams.
The partnership produced 32 victories, two Cup championships and more than $68 million in winnings. It also survived a flurry of storms created by one of the most tempestuous drivers in NASCAR history. It was the perfect union, yet it left Stewart wanting more.
More than he could ever get at Gibbs, where an ownership stake wasn’t an option and Stewart was simply the driver. So Stewart secured his release from the organization Wednesday, paving the way for him to purchase his own NASCAR team.
“While this moment is bittersweet, we’re parting on good terms and we know that each of us has benefited greatly from the other,” team president J.D. Gibbs said.
Gibbs had hoped to sign Stewart to an extension that would keep the driver in his seat past 2009 and until he retired, but Stewart stalled during contract talks. He wanted to see what else was out there, and given the opportunity to buy majority ownership in fledgling Haas-CNC Racing, Stewart couldn’t resist. He scheduled a news conference for today.
Footnotes.
Dario Franchitti will pilot the No. 40 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing this weekend when he races in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway.
• IRL rookie E.J. Viso withdrew from the Firestone Indy 200 after being diagnosed with mumps, and his HVM Racing team will not field a car for Saturday’s race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.
The Associated Press
