Joe Gibbs says Tony Stewart's positives outweigh his negatives. Credit: Autostock

Notebook: Gibbs steps up for Stewart

LOUDON, N.H. -- Joe Gibbs defended Tony Stewart during a TNT interview that aired Sunday, saying he feels no need to try and control his driver.

VIDEO Busch wins Siemens 300 Kurt Busch focuses on taking the checkered flag at Loudon Bumper Tag Rusty finishes 30th after being tagged by Jarrett late Heavy Contact Rudd and Craven suffer heavy damage in separate incidents Race Reaction Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman review their top-five finishes Disappointment Contact with Schrader sends Truex Jr. into the wall Siemens 300 Junior runs 61 laps before handing it over to Truex Early Exit Contact with Johnson and Sadler sends Craven to the garage

"Tony Stewart is very emotional, but when you stop and think about the things that we're doing with him that are serious issues, you've really got to take into account the total context," Gibbs said. "I think he's one of the neatest guys -- he's easygoing, he's laid back, he's fun to be around and he's got a good sense of humor.

"So you've got to take the good and try to balance that out."

Gibbs said he hopes the positives, such as Stewart's charity work, outweighed the negatives like his on- and off-track clashes with Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne, among others.

"I think he can have a big, tremendous influence on the sport if he keeps going and winning championships," Gibbs said, "and he definitely brings a lot of attention now to himself and the sport.

"Hopefully, now, it's positive attention."

Pattie goes to Ganassi

Brian Pattie, who for the most part has been a partner in NEMCO Motorsports with Joe Nemechek for the last 10 years, has left NEMCO to take a position heading Chip Ganassi's budding Busch Series operation.

Pattie will oversee an eight-race program this season using Discount Tire Dodges for Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and Reed Sorensen. Ganassi will field a full-time program in the Busch Series next season, Ganassi team manager Andy Graves said Sunday at NHIS.

Jarrett knows Red Sox's feeling

Former Cup champion Dale Jarrett and his son Zachary, 9, made a visit to Boston's legendary Fenway Park Friday night, only to see the hometown Red Sox lose to the New York Yankees.

Dale Jarrett

On Sunday, Jarrett knew what they felt like when his UPS Ford fell to ninth at the end of the Siemens 300, after he ran as high as third with 40 laps remaining.

"Fenway Park is a very cool place," Jarrett said. "Trot Nixon was kind enough to take us into the Red Sox locker-room and we met Johnny Damon and Derek Lowe, who are both race fans. So it was a pretty special night."

On Sunday, Jarrett was miserable after knocking Rusty Wallace into a crash with less than 10 laps remaining, and at losing a late spot to Kasey Kahne.

"I hate it, but that's part of it," Jarrett said of the crash. "I wasn't concerned about making a pass on him as much as I was concerned about just running and staying ahead of the 9 (Kahne)."

Jarrett spoke to Wallace and his crew chief, Larry Carter, after the race.