BY TEAM FORD RACING CORRESPONDENT

Charlotte, N.C. — Cal Wells III announced yesterday that he’d signed Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Harold Holly to the Tide ride in 2005. The announcement comes days after TFR broke the news that Wells had approached Ed Rensi, who currently employs the driver/crew chief pair.

"We are excited about Bobby's potential in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series," Wells said via a prepared statement. "He's been a standout performer in the Busch series and has several Cup starts already to his credit, and he's definitely ready for a shot at full-time Cup racing. Harold, with his championship experience and proven ability to lead and motivate a team, is a tremendous asset to our overall organization. We expect the two to be a strong, positive force for our team and in the Cup garage."