Driver dominoes just starting
Yet despite the promise and potential in the latest job opening, top-name drivers aren't exactly jockeying for the seat.
Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle re-signed with Roush Fenway Racing before Stewart's exit became official, and long before he muddied any potential relationship by tangling with JGR star Kyle Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya reconfirmed his support of slumping Chip Ganassi Racing.
Matt Kenseth is under contract, Kasey Kahne isn't available, Richard Childress has his talent under contract and the stars at Hendrick Motorsports aren't going anywhere.
So where does that leave Joe Gibbs Racing?
With Joey Logano, of course.
Gibbs officials have done nothing to dispel the notion that their 18-year-old phenom will fill the seat next season, and Stewart himself has endorsed the promotion.
"Of all people, he could do it. He's been a proven product in anything that he's driven," Stewart said on his Sirius Satellite Radio show. "I definitely think that Joey Logano has the talent that whenever — and I would say he's going to be in the Gibbs system a long time — so whenever the Gibbs family decides to put him in a Cup car that he'll be ready."
But with just five Nationwide Series starts to his career (albeit he's scored two poles and a win in that span), Zipadelli also admits there still are questions surrounding Logano.
"Experience is priceless," Zipadelli said. "It's one thing to do it in other divisions, but when they feed you to the sharks out here (in the Sprint Cup Series) on Sunday, you're going against the best in the world that have tons of experience. There's a lot to this sport ... mental, physical ... and that all comes with time.
"I think what we've seen so far, I think he has as good of a chance as any 18-year-old to come into this sport and succeed."
With everyone so high on Logano, only the sudden availability of an A-list driver should block his imminent promotion into Stewart's seat.
That means Stewart's departure shouldn't create the big shuffling of rides that was widely anticipated — though there's still going to movement.
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