1on1: Joe Gibbs Racing (cont'd)

Q: What does the future hold for Greg Zipadelli, Stewart's long-time crew chief on the No. 20 car?

Joe Gibbs: Zippy is a huge part of our organization and we've already charted his future and what he's going to be doing. Obviously he's at the top of his game right now and everything. We're thrilled with the fact that we've done a long-term deal with him. We've kind of laid that into the future, with his future with the race team. I think Zippy understands he's a big part of our group and always will be.

J.D. Gibbs: We've had a great history with Zippy. He's part of the family and we are a dysfunctional family, but we're pretty tight. For him to make that commitment and stay with our guys, that means a lot. Zippy's place at JGR is like a lot of our guys, hopefully growing old there and working on stuff. It made us feel good.

Q: Are there other names on your replacement list besides Logano? And are you concerned that you might perhaps push him too far, too quickly?

Joe Gibbs: I think he's matured, too, even though he's a young guy. We've mentioned he's got a ton of experience (testing Cup cars and driving in other series). Plus, he's been around our guys a bunch and so I think we're real, real comfortable with Joey. A big part of that is him and his dad and the family, what do they think? We've had discussions with them.

I don't think you can brag on Joey enough. I think the other thing is that Denny (Hamlin) changed things for me. Denny came out of Late Models and about seven months later we stuck him in the No. 11 and it was boom, right to the front. I think if they've got it, they've got it. I think we kind of lean a little bit on that. At least we think Joey's got it.

Stewart-Haas Racing

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• Menzer: Gamble worth taking
• Aumann: Driver-ownerships
• About Haas CNC Racing
• Stewart's ownership roles

Q: You earlier had plans to go to a fourth car for next year. Does the fact that Tony is leaving now kill that idea?

J.D. Gibbs: I think it goes back to when we feel all the parts and pieces are in place we could do it next year, it could be 10 -- we're in no hurry. It doesn't really apply to the No. 20 car situation because that's nothing new. I think for us, it's when we think we have all the right pieces in place to do that fourth deal and I think some opportunities might present themselves, then great; if not, we've learned enough with starting teams to wait until it's all right and everything is in place or your better off not doing it.

Q: If Tony doesn't make the Chase would you consider putting someone else in that car?

J.D. Gibbs: No.

Q: Where are you going to put Logano if he runs a Cup race this year?

J.D. Gibbs: From here on out, he's in every Nationwide event. When we feel like there are races that might make sense for him to run in a Cup car, great, we'll try to make it happen (in a fourth car). We can do as many as we want or as little as we want depending on what we see his future being.

Q: What do you think about the possibilities of NASCAR changing the engine in the Nationwide Series to equalize competition?

J.D. Gibbs: You hear a bunch in the media and a bunch from other teams. ... Here's what's changed just within JGR. Our bodies are now built within the same Cup shop for the first time ever next to the Cup guys who can assist them hanging those bodies. That's a big deal. Our chassis are now all built in-house. We used to buy them and now they're built in-house for the first time ever. Also a big deal. We have integrated our Nationwide stuff into our Cup program better than ever before and it's hard to do because we're not in the same building. That's a big deal for our guys from an engineering standpoint and from a crew chief standpoint.

We have great crew chiefs. We have great crew guys. We invest a ton because that is our future with JGR's Nationwide stuff. It's a big investment for us. We think it's worth it and it's always paid off with drivers and crew members and crew chiefs. A great pit crew is not easy to develop and we get those guys trained there and that's a big deal. I think we have great drivers. I know it's been said, put a monkey in there and they can do it. Let me just say we have some very gifted and highly trained monkeys. Keep that in mind, that it's easier said than done. If a monkey could do it, I'd still be driving.

Q: What about the motors, and the insinuation that the Toyotas, especially on the Nationwide side, pack much more horsepower than other manufacturers at the moment?

J.D. Gibbs: When you get to the motor issue, to me NASCAR did a dyno (test) in Milwaukee and I think there were two manufacturers pretty close and two manufactures down a little bit. That always kind of changes throughout the years. My thing is, NASCAR has been very good at saying here's your box, you work in that box. Make it the best you can make it. It's not a welfare state. You have to work to get what you want to get out of it. ... If there are certain things you can add, that's always been the history from NASCAR's standpoint. I think for us, when you do look back, Childress did win 13 (Nationwide races) last year. Hendrick won 18, I think, on the Cup side. I think GM won 22 races total on Nationwide. When you see that, good for them, they deserve it, they worked hard. They earned that.

What I get frustrated with is, just give our guys some credit. That's the biggest thing. Give them some credit. They are doing a good job. Don't keep yanking at them and say anybody can do it because that's not the case.