Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne both have somewhat similar stories.

One was called “The next Jeff Gordon”, while the other’s car is co-owned by Jeff Gordon. Both came from the Busch(now Nationwide) Series without much success, each having just one win apiece. Both have driven for just one race team in their Cup careers. Both drivers own Lowe’s Motor Speedway. And both can be referred to as excellent racers.

The difference: One driver is happy with his team, while the other isn’t so much.

Jimmie Johnson inked a deal with Hendrick Motorsports today that will have him driving for the organization through 2015, and likely beyond. According to team owner, Rick Hendrick, the soon-to-be 12-time champion owner wanted to sign Johnson to a lifetime deal, but he “didn’t think he could borrow enough money for that”.

I guess that means, assuming NASCAR doesn’t make any drastic changes, and they likely won’t seeing as they haven’t made any major changes since Johnson’s reign atop the NASCAR world, that Johnson will win the championship every year from now until the day he retires. And if he’s like his teammate, that will likely be never.

As for Kahne, forget a lifetime deal. He doesn’t even see himself at Richard Petty Motorsports 10 years from now. Or maybe even in 2011, for that matter.

According to Kahne, things have gotten so frustrating at RPM, from annual management changes, to 50 guys getting laid off the first week of the Chase, to just flat being inconsistent, that the 2-time Chase driver is willing to look at options outside of the team he’s been with since 2004.

“The ups-and-downs of the team have made it difficult for me to really say, ‘Man, I’m going to be here for 10 more years,’” Kahne said.

And one can’t blame him. In the last 24 months, there have been three different owners(and there will be a fourth come 2010), two mergers, a manufacturer change, the addition of a fourth car, and three drivers let go(four if you include Elliott Sadler, who was let go and then hired back).

On top of that, the performance of the team as a whole has been less than stellar. Kahne, who drives the team’s number one car, has had 4 finishes of 32nd or worse since the Chase started; 2 of those due to engine failure. But even over the last three years, Kahne’s overall performance has been mediocre at best. Barring issues, he’ll likely finish in the top 10 overall in points, but only because Carl Edwards and Brian Vickers virtually forgot to show up to the Chase.

Outside of this year, Kahne’s best points finish since his breakout year in 2006 is 14th. Not very good for a guy who has been called “The next Jeff Gordon”.

“Come next January, I can start looking around; I can talk to other people,” added Kahne. “I really don’t know what’s going to happen. Truthfully, I don’t know what’s going to happen right now.”