BY TEAM FORD RACING CORRESPONDENT

Charlotte, N.C. — Team Rensi Motorsports announces a change in drivers for their No. 25 Marines Ford. The change, which is effective immediately, favors Jeff Green and outs Bobby Hamilton Jr.

“Throughout the past three seasons, Team Rensi Motorsports grew into a championship-caliber team finishing just 49 points out of first place in the 2003 Championship race,” team president, Sam Rensi said. “With Bobby and Harold Holly’s announcement to move to the NEXTEL Cup series in 2005, I felt that it would be best to allow Bobby to prepare for his career change now and allow Team Rensi Motorsports, with Harold’s help, begin the process of preparing for 2005.

“We have started our search for a new crew chief to bring in now to replace Harold and use the rest of the season for a smooth transition before he assumes his duties with PPI Motorsports in 2005.”

Green, who drives in the Cup tour for Petty Enterprises, doesn’t face any large logistic problems doing both series as the parallel series, sans one weekend where Busch will run at Memphis, Tenn., and Cup runs at Martinsville, Va.

Hamilton has driven the James Finch No. 09 Cup entry on several occasions this year, most recently at Michigan International Speedway. Hamilton is slated to start a full time Cup program with Cal Wells III in 2005.

BIFFLE ON BUSCH
Greg Biffle told www.teamfordracing.com at MIS that he’s not going to be quite so gung-ho in 2005 with his Busch Series endeavors. Biffle says that a 15-race program would better fit his plans than trying to keep two full-time rides going.

Biffle’s travels this year have been very impressive, and if not for a slew of mechanical issues earlier this year would likely be the Busch Series points leader, rather than holding down fourth spot, as he does now.

MELLING IN DA HOUSE
Mark Melling, son of long-time died-in-Blue car owner Harry Melling, was seen hanging out at MIS. Melling, too, was a car owner, taking the reins for his dad after he’d had enough of the Cup car owner experience.

The name Melling is synonymous with Ford performance as the pairing of Melling and Bill Elliott provided magic that was untouchable. There are records that will not be broken, including Elliott’s qualifying records at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedwa, which were done in Melling’s famous No. 9 car.

Mark told www.teamfordracing.com that his family business, Melling Engine Parts, is doing quite well. Mark also says that he’s branched out into other conveyance store business, with a number of stores in the Jackson, Mich. area.

Mark immediately dismissed the tour, noting time with his wife and family are more important to him, now, that tearing back and forth across the country.

DYNO STUFF
NASCAR spun three of each make on the chassis dyno following last week’s Michigan event. The cars tested were the top-three finishers (all Ford Tauruses, we’re proud to say) Biffle, Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett. The Chevy rides of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.; and the Dodge cars of Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray.

SPEAKING OF ENGINES
Cal Wells III is going to mothball his engine shop entirely at the end of this season; and until then will only build motors for tracks less than a mile in length. For all other venues this year, and all venues in 2005, Richard Childress Racing will powner Wells’ Chevy cars.