Last modified: Thursday, July 10, 2008 11:00 AM PDT Tony Stewart released from Gibbs CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — 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.