Forget all of the politically correct reactions you've heard so far. When Tony Stewart found out Joe Gibbs, the only NASCAR owner he has ever driven for, was going back to coach the Washington Redskins, he was upset.

And why shouldn't he have been? He had just re-signed with Joe Gibbs Racing a matter of months ago. He had just committed himself to the Coach, and now the Coach is no longer going to be on the road for the races. Of course, none of that explains why Stewart was upset.

Gibbs asked Stewart and the rest of the No. 20 Chevrolet team to meet him at the Daytona Beach airport after Stewart and Co. were finished testing for next month's Daytona 500. When Stewart got there, without a clue as to why he was called, his hopes were momentarily raised.

"At first I thought we'd bought a new airplane at Joe Gibbs Racing because of the plane from the Redskins," Stewart said. "And then I was a little down because I found out we didn't have a new airplane at Joe Gibbs Racing."

After further thought, though, the former Cup champ raised his chin.

"Maybe we'll get some time on it, though."

Looking for disappointment? A mention of concern? The above is about all you'll find.

Gibbs succeeded with the Redskins, winning three Super Bowls, by assembling around him the most talented and cohesive group of people possible. Gibbs succeeded as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, winning two Winston Cup championships the past four years, by assembling around him the most talented and cohesive group of people possible.

Those same people are there now -- minus Gibbs. Joe Gibbs Racing will be fine, its employees and stars say. So if you're looking for disappointment over Joe Gibbs' big announcement, Stewart suggests you go polling the Dallas Cowboys.

"It's not going to affect anything (at Joe Gibbs Racing)," Stewart said. "(JGR President) J.D. Gibbs has done a great job of following in his father's footsteps all these years. He's learned everything from Joe.

	Gibbs twice sent his drivers to the head table at the NASCAR Cup banquet.

"I think everybody with the team is excited for Joe. It's neat to see a guy that's in the position Joe is in and know how hard he's worked all of his life to be where he is. A guy like him isn't ready to step down and ride it out the rest of his life. He's ready to get back to work and get after it and play with the big boys again."

In fact, with son J.D. holding down the fort, each race team excelling on its own and team manager Jimmy Makar supervising operations efficiently, the 63-year-old Gibbs was starting to feel a little unnecessary. A guy as competitive as Gibbs won't stand for that.

"I don't think Joe has ever given up 100 percent on coaching," Makar said. "The racing thing has fulfilled a little bit of that competition he has inside of him and those competitive juices flowing within him, but it's sort of running itself now.

"He's not nearly involved as much in the day-to-day operations like it used to be. The team has grown to the point to where it runs itself without him having to be there. This opportunity is something he can sink his teeth into."

Makar, who was with Stewart and crew chief Greg Zipadelli at the airport when Gibbs filled the team in on his intentions, was inspired to see how excited Gibbs got when talking about returning to football. Stewart felt the same way. They both said everyone, including teammate Bobby Labonte -- who was back in North Carolina when he heard the news -- felt exactly the same way when they talked to Gibbs.

"I'm excited for him," Stewart said. "It's exciting to see a guy who is 63 years old and who has worked hard all his life and doesn't want to stop working. It's an exciting time for all of us I think."

"I'm excited," said Labonte. "I know Joe's excited about it. I think it's a great opportunity for him, and I think it's a great opportunity for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Labonte, like Makar, is confident the team can continue to run without Gibbs' everyday involvement.

"If this were five or seven years ago, he wouldn't do this, but he feels the timing is right for him to go coach and be gone from the shop, because he's kind of been doing a few things anyway without being there everyday," said Labonte. "I don't think he would have done it if he didn't think the team could get on day-to-day without him."

So you see, there's no worries around these parts. Well, maybe just one. When someone joked that Gibbs had to take this high-paying coaching job to manage the steep contract extension he agreed to with Stewart last season, Stewart's eyes widened.

"I don't know," Stewart said. "Maybe I'll renegotiate now that I know he's going to be making a little more."

Rupen Fofaria is a freelance writer living in Chicago and a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at rfofaria@espnspecial.com.