CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From his seat in the bright orange No. 20, Tony Stewart spent a decade driving his way to superstardom while helping Joe Gibbs Racing become one of NASCAR's top teams.

The partnership produced 32 victories, two Cup championships and more than $68 million in winnings. It also survived a flurry of storms created by one of the most tempestuous drivers in NASCAR history.

It was the perfect union, yet it left Stewart wanting more.

More than he could ever get at Gibbs, where an ownership stake wasn't an option and Stewart was simply the driver. So Stewart secured his release from the organization Wednesday, paving the way for him to purchase his own NASCAR team.

"While this moment is bittersweet, we're parting on good terms and we know that each of us has benefited greatly from the other," team president J.D. Gibbs said in a statement.

The remarkable and often emotional 10-year run will end for Smoke, Zippy and the JGR boys at the end of the season.

Gibbs had hoped to sign Stewart to an extension that would keep the 37-year-old driver in his seat until he retired, but Stewart wanted to see what else was out there, and given the opportunity to buy majority ownership in fledgling Haas-CNC Racing, Stewart couldn't resist. He scheduled a news conference for today to discuss his latest venture.

Stewart, thanked the organization for sticking by him and teaching him much of what he knows as a businessman.

"I've learned so much from them and have a tremendous amount of respect for what they've built," Stewart said in a statement. "I've modeled my USAC and World of Outlaws teams the same way they built their NASCAR team, and I made it a point to find good people to run those programs."