Stewart already working on new team

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Stewart said that he already had his first team meeting last week at their shop and that he expects to be spending some time there for the rest of the year to try to spot the problems that are currently preventing the outfit from getting better results.

"Obviously last week we were on vacation and I did have my first team meeting a week ago yesterday, with the guys in the shop and it was just nice to get that first meeting out of the way and get to see the faces that I'm going to see a lot the rest of this year and a lot of them next year," said Stewart.

"So I'm not sure that I fully understand exactly what is holding them back right now but I do know that they have got good resources and it's just a matter of figuring out where the break is in the system there. There's obviously something that's not exactly the way, obviously, that we want it to be or they want it to be right now.

"It's just going to take some more time, and I think being able to being at the shop a lot the rest of the year will help with that."

Stewart said they are currently considering a number of drivers for the team's second car but wouldn't confirm who they are. Ryan Newman is said to be the leading candidate with Martin Truex Jr being another option given his current status at DEI.

He also said that as important as finding a second driver is getting the right people in place for the crew chief roles for their two cars, and revealed they have been approached already by many people wishing to join them for 2009.

"There are a lot of drivers in the running right now," Stewart said. "It's not narrowed down to just one driver right now.

"Obviously the crew chief situation, that is obviously a big factor in what we're doing.

"You know, now that we're back from vacation, its kind of the full-court press now on trying to figure out not only who we're going to have - we need two crew chiefs right now. It's not just one crew chief.

"We have to figure out exactly if we're happy with the crew chiefs that we currently have or if we need to look outside the organization, and at the same time, looking at the leadership of what we have on the floor and deciding if the team manager's roles and the people that are going to really be the brain trust, I guess, and the guys that you trust to get everything turned around.

"Those are key positions right now that are a huge focus for us right now."