Advantage Junior

Who’s the winner?

Junior announces he’s leaving DEI. No advantage to either side.

Junior signs with Hendrick Motorsports. Advantage Junior.

DEI merges with Ginn Racing, won’t give up number 8, announces Mark Martin to have seat time. Advantage Teresa.

Robert Yates gets in the match, asks NASCAR to reassign Dale Jarrett’s old number 88 to Hendrick for Junior. Advantage Junior. (That was a really nice gesture in a fracas that hasn’t exactly been nice.)

Junior gets Mountain Dew AMP as a sponsor, Advantage Junior. Did you notice there’s already merchandise on the NASCAR.comSuperStore with Junior Mountain Dew 88? I think Junior deserves an edge for that, too.

Budweiser signs Kasey Kahne (uplifted hands, "woo!") So that's a point for Ray Evernham, er, Gillette Evernham whatever. The Bud No. 9. OK, The car's red, he's young and good looking. Bad for DEI, gotta find another major sponsor.

I know it’s not a chess match, but that’s how it looks some days. He makes a move, she counters. It’s really sad.

They actually have something in common. Dale Earnhardt Sr. We know how the son feels about the father and we have to believe there’s love and affection between the wife and husband that continues forever.

Obviously Junior is moving on with his life, growing up, showing some maturity. He’s becoming his own man, moving out of the shadow of his father, making his own legacy. Can the same be said at DEI?

You know there’s a counter move coming, it’s just a matter of when? Or has Junior’s DEI equipment been that move?