You've heard the comparison made time and time again, about how Hendrick Motorsports is the New York Yankees of NASCAR. On many levels, the analogy fits -- in terms of number of championships, the spic-and-span nature of the respective organizations, and how both are able to attract top talent regardless of who's already on their roster and regardless of what need they may or may not need to fill.

In that respect, the news Tuesday that Kasey Kahne would join Hendrick beginning in the 2012 season surely knocked the wind out of the competition. On the heels of a fourth consecutive championship on NASCAR's highest level and a 1-2-3 finish in final points, the sport's best team bolstered its future by adding a 30-year-old with unbridled potential that hasn't been maximized in his current situation. No, they didn't have a seat open for next year. But the Yankees had a deep pitching staff, and still picked up a top free agent after winning the World Series last year. That's just what good teams do.

So yes, this is very much a situation where the rich get richer -- but let's face it, successful operations always have a long line of people waiting to get in. This is also a very shrewd, forward-thinking move by Kahne, who at 30 likely realizes that waiting a year on Hendrick's No. 5 car will give him a much greater chance at winning championships in the long term. Granted, his situation for 2011 looks rather murky; he isn't going back to Richard Petty Motorsports, and all indications are that the prospect of a one-year marriage with Hendrick affiliate Stewart-Haas Racing is speculative at best. Can Kasey Kahne Racing, which fields a World of Outlaws car, slap together a Sprint Cup entry?

Maybe not. But Kahne is young and talented and has a huge fan base, factors that will guarantee him a place somewhere next season, even if it is short-term. And really, what does he have to lose? Kahne said he'd let the performance at RPM dictate whether he stayed or left, and seven races were evidently enough. He heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend buried at 26th in points, and with finishes of 17th or worse in five of his seven starts this year. He's led 148 laps this season, but 144 of them in one event -- Atlanta, where he placed fourth. For a driver with a proven record of being able to run up front and win races, that simply doesn't cut it. (Continued)