Stewart emotional after last JGR race

Stewart grabbed the lead of the race with 23 laps remaining but he was forced to pit for fuel while others gambled on fuel mileage and stayed on the track hoping to make it to the end without an extra stop.

Many of those saving fuel eventually made it to the chequered flag, leaving Stewart with a ninth place finish in his 356th start for the team that gave him the chance to switch successfully from open-wheel racing into Sprint Cup competition in 1999.

"We did everything we could do," said Stewart. "The good thing is that we finished competitive tonight and we didn't win the race so we didn't accomplish what we wanted to accomplish, but they knew we were here and we showed why we've been champions and won 33 races with this team."

The two-time Sprint Cup champion admitted to be emotional about leaving the team for whom he won 33 races at NASCAR's top level, including the 2002 and 2005 championships, which make him the only driver to have claimed titles both with the old points' system and the Chase format.

"Of course I am (emotional)," said Stewart. "I'm leaving a group of guys that I have been used to working with 38 weeks a year for 10 years. It's always hard to do that. I guess if we didn't all like each other it would make it a lot easier to be where we're all at tonight.

"When you like the group of guys you're working with and you always have -- it makes nights like tonight even harder."

Stewart's departure from JGR will also put and end to what had been the longest crew chief and driver active pairing in the Sprint Cup. Greg Zipadelli is set to work beside rookie Joey Logano next season in the No. 20 Home Depot car, as Stewart moves on to his new team in 2009.