Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

Car chief Jason Shapiro talks on the radio to driver Tony Stewart as crew chief Greg Zippadeli looks on in the garage during NASCAR Sprint Cup testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

But Zipadelli has grown into the calming presence in Stewart’s ear. When he’s upset about the car, a NASCAR decision or another competitor, Zipadelli keys the mic to calm him, “OK, babe. It’s gonna be fine. We’ll fix it.”

Makar said it took work for Zipadelli to learn patience, but once he did, he achieved an even temperament that steadies Stewart on race day.

“He’s learned from being here and he’s got security and has confidence in his abilities, and he’s been able to put (his temper) to the side,” Makar said. “To be the leader of the team, you have to maintain control. But it was something I worried a lot about in the beginning, and we talked about it many times.

“But over the years, he’s matured into the leader of that group and a leader of this whole race team.”

Driver and crew chief now only see themselves working together. They’ve typically negotiated their contracts together, and with Stewart set to open talks on an extension past 2009, he assumes he’ll be with Zipadelli.

“We have the same passion and desire to win, and when you have that and when you have a combination like that, you work really hard to protect it,” Stewart said. “I think Zippy and I are now in that position to where we don’t see each other doing something away from each other. If one of us decides to retire, the other one is going along with him.”

Zipadelli figures they’ve got at least about five more years left. And when they walk away from the NASCAR grind, it won’t be the trophies or the checks that Zipadelli celebrates. He’s most proud of helping guide Stewart into the man he is today — warts and all — and the man he’ll likely be when he closes his racing career.

“I think if you look back at the first five years and then the second five years, the guy has learned a lot and that’s all you can ask,” Zipadelli said. “And to be part of that, and be a friend, a working companion through those 10 years — I think I am much more proud of being able to share life and experiences and going through some of those times with him than I am the racing.”