Craven out of Tide ride.

Following his early exit from Saturday night's Sharpie 500, Ricky Craven's career with PPI Motorsport appears to be at an end following the news that his intended replacement for 2005, Bobby Hamilton Jr, will drive the #32 Tide Chevrolet from next weekend onwards.

The move, which according to a report on www.thatsracin.com is subject to approval from Tide's owner company Proctor and Gamble, came at the behest of Craven, who has not registered a top ten finish with the Cal Wells owned squad since Talladega in September of 2003.

Last Saturday at the Bristol Motor Speedway, Craven retired the 'Tide Ride' with accident damage on lap 373 and was classified 34th, matching his position in the overall drivers standings.

Team owner Wells is 35th in Owners points of the 37 teams who have attempted all 24 races to date this year.

Hamilton Jr, who was relieved of his Busch Series duties with Rensi Motorsports prior to last weekend's event at Bristol in order to allow him to prepare for his full-time Nextel Cup Series debut, had been expected to appear on a Cup grid for PPI before the year was out, but in the team's currently dormant #96 entry, which last saw action in 2001 with Andy Houston.