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CUP: Zippy Staying Put
Written by: Tom Jensen   
07/10/2008
Joliet, Ill.
 
Greg Zipadelli addresses the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock.com 400. (Jason Smith/Getty Images Photo) ยป More Photos

The departure of Tony Stewart from Joe Gibbs Racing next year will mark an end to the longest active driver-crew chief pairing in NASCAR. Stewart and Greg Zipadelli have been together since the No. 20 team was formed prior to the 1999 season, but that will end when the checkered flag falls on the 2008 campaign in November.

It’s a bittersweet situation for the man known throughout the garage as “Zippy,” who said Thursday he’s sorry that Stewart will be leaving, but his own loyalty remains with JGR.

“Like I’ve said before, all good things must come to and end, I guess at some time,” Zipadelli said Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway. “This is our time. We’ve still got 18 races together. My biggest thing is I feel like I’m obligated to Joe Gibbs Racing because over 10 years ago they gave me an opportunity to start something that most people in this world dream of.”

And that was starting a team, literally, from the most basic elements. “I didn’t have anyone that worked there. We didn’t have a trailer ordered – nothing,” said Zipadelli. “They hired a driver and asked me to come in and start it. I got to work with (JGR vice president of competition) Jimmy Makar, bring a lot of friends and people that I’ve worked with in years past. I feel like I owe them an awful lot because they’ve still been there. They’ve stuck with me through the good, the bad. For me to leave and pursue something different than what I’m doing and where I’m doing it – it’s just not me. I owe a lot of people that are
with me.”

An old-school crew chief, Zipadelli said he wants to stay put. “For myself, you have to look at what’s best for me and where I’m most comfortable and where are my obligations? There with Joe Gibbs Racing,” he said. “My guys have supported me and most of them have continued to work with me for 10 years or more. That’s important to me.”

Zipadelli said he had no hard feelings about Stewart’s impending departure. “Part of the reason Joe Gibbs Racing is where it is today is because he (Stewart) was a partner with us and what he added and what he did,” said Zipadelli. “We can never be mad or hold that against him. His success, our success as a group would have never been possible without him and what he’s done for us.”

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to

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