Andy Houston (born November 7, 1970 in
Hickory, North CarolinaHickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was...
) is a veteran of the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
, scoring three wins. Houston is the son of legendary Busch Driver
Tommy HoustonTommy Houston, is a retired NASCAR Busch Series' drivers. Over his career, Houston and Jack Ingram became known as the pair journeymen drivers that helped that series grow throughout the 1980s and early 1990s....
and the youngest of three brothers, one of them being part-time NASCAR driver
Marty HoustonMarty Houston, is a former driver in NASCAR. His younger brother, Andy and father Tommy Houston have driven in NASCAR as well.- Craftsman Truck Series Career :...
and the other being the oldest of the three,
Scott HoustonScott Houston is a piano player, author, teacher and television personality who hosts and co-produces the Public Television series The Piano Guy. He also is the featured performer on a Public Television pledge special titled Play Piano in a Flash...
. He is also the cousin of team owner
Teresa EarnhardtTeresa Earnhardt was the third wife and is the widow of Dale Earnhardt. She is the biological mother of Taylor Nicole Earnhardt and she is the stepmother of Kerry Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teresa is currently the president and Co. Chief Executive Officer of...
. Andy Houston has also raced in the Nextel Cup Series and the
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit , and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Sprint Cup...
. Andy is married to wife Lorie and has two children, Collin (born in 1997) and Clark (born in 2001).
Andy Houston (born November 7, 1970 in
Hickory, North CarolinaHickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was...
) is a veteran of the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
, scoring three wins. Houston is the son of legendary Busch Driver
Tommy HoustonTommy Houston, is a retired NASCAR Busch Series' drivers. Over his career, Houston and Jack Ingram became known as the pair journeymen drivers that helped that series grow throughout the 1980s and early 1990s....
and the youngest of three brothers, one of them being part-time NASCAR driver
Marty HoustonMarty Houston, is a former driver in NASCAR. His younger brother, Andy and father Tommy Houston have driven in NASCAR as well.- Craftsman Truck Series Career :...
and the other being the oldest of the three,
Scott HoustonScott Houston is a piano player, author, teacher and television personality who hosts and co-produces the Public Television series The Piano Guy. He also is the featured performer on a Public Television pledge special titled Play Piano in a Flash...
. He is also the cousin of team owner
Teresa EarnhardtTeresa Earnhardt was the third wife and is the widow of Dale Earnhardt. She is the biological mother of Taylor Nicole Earnhardt and she is the stepmother of Kerry Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teresa is currently the president and Co. Chief Executive Officer of...
. Andy Houston has also raced in the Nextel Cup Series and the
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit , and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Sprint Cup...
. Andy is married to wife Lorie and has two children, Collin (born in 1997) and Clark (born in 2001). Since January 2005, Houston has served as the spotter for
John AndrettiJohn Andretti , is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #34 Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports out of Statesville NC. He has won in CART, NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, endurance racing and NASCAR stock car racing...
's
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit , and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Sprint Cup...
team.
Early Racing Career
In 1994, Andy won
Hickory Motor SpeedwayHickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars"....
's Late Model Championship and in 1996 he won the
Goody's Dash SeriesThe NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series was a NASCAR-sanctioned amateur/semi-pro racing series based in the Southeastern United States. The series was formerly known as the Slim Jim All Pro Series. The drivers who have graduated from this series include Shawna Robinson, Rick Crawford,...
Most Popular Driver Award.
Cup Series
2000 marked Houston's first start in the Winston Cup Series as he competed in five races to prepare for his 2001 rookie campaign with
PPI MotorsportsPPI Motorsports was a race team which competed in the NEXTEL Cup Series and various off-road racing circuits. The team had one of the few remaining single car operations in the NEXTEL Cup series.-Early years:...
. Out of the five races his best finish would come at
Lowe's Motor SpeedwayLowe's Motor Speedway is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. It features a long quad-oval track that seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more spectators in the infield...
, a 26th. Houston began the 2001 year well with a 9th place qualifying effort at the
Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule. Matt Kenseth is the defending champion of the race....
in the #96
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
Ford. It would be one of the highlights of the year, as Houston ended the year with no top 10s and a best finish of 17th at
MartinsvilleMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in...
; Houston only managed to qualify for 17 races and failed to run any more after McDonald's pulled their sponsorship late in the season. He hasn't returned to the series since.
Busch Series
Houston made his
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit , and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Sprint Cup...
debut in 1996 driving the #0 Suburban Propane Ford at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He would start the race in the 21st position and finish in the 24th position, five laps down. He returned to the series in 1998 to make another start this time at
Hickory Motor SpeedwayHickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars"....
in the #50
Dr PepperDr Pepper is a soft drink marketed as having a unique flavor. Created in the 1880s by Charles Alderton of Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885, Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904 and is now also sold in Europe, Asia and South America...
Ford. He would start the race in 7th and finish in the 20th position. In 2000, Houston made one start for Team SABCO and brought the #82 Channellock Chevrolet home in the 36th position at the
Milwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a 1.032 mile -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
. For the 2002 season, Houston was supposed to run the whole season with the Herzog/Jackson Motorsports team, but was replaced by
Todd BodineTodd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his reckless driving style and bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
after 3 races. His best finish with the team was a 9th at
DaytonaDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home to the biggest and greatest race in all of NASCAR, "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. Today the facility has a seating capacity of almost 168,000 spectators...
. He currently serves as Jack Sprauges spotter for Kevin Harvick Inc.#2 Craftsman Truck series team.
Craftsman Truck Series
In 1997, Houston made his first
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
start with
Addington RacingAddington Racing is a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned by Mike Addington and fielded Chevrolet Silverados from 1997 to 2002....
. He would compete in four races for the team with a best finish of 11th at
MartinsvilleMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in...
.For the 1998 season, he returned to
Addington RacingAddington Racing is a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned by Mike Addington and fielded Chevrolet Silverados from 1997 to 2002....
and ran full-time in the Truck Series. Houston would have a solid year winning his first race at
New Hampshire International SpeedwayNew Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as open wheel racing during the 1990s. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob...
and posting 9 top tens, while finishing 12th in points. Houston again returned to
Addington RacingAddington Racing is a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned by Mike Addington and fielded Chevrolet Silverados from 1997 to 2002....
for the 1999 season and he scored 14 top tens with an 8th place finish in points. 2000 was a breakout year for Houston, as he won two races at Homestead and Portland, had 13 top fives, and 18 top tens, finishing 3rd in points to
Roush RacingRoush Fenway Racing is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing. As one of NASCAR's largest premier racing teams, Roush runs teams in the Sprint, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series, as well as the ARCA RE/MAX Series...
Teammates
Greg BiffleGregory Jack Biffle is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing. He now lives in Mooresville, North Carolina.-Early career:...
and
Kurt BuschKurt Thomas Busch is a professional American race car driver. He drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
. He returned to the series in 2002 with Melling Racing where he ran one race at
South Boston SpeedwaySouth Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located in South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Dr. Joe Mattioli II, who also controls Pocono Raceway...
. After that
Billy Ballew MotorsportsBilly Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew...
hired him to run the remainder of 2002. He would post a best finish of 12th at
CaliforniaThe Auto Club Speedway of Southern California is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to its "sister track" Michigan International Speedway...
out of the five races he competed in. In 2003, Houston was still running races for Billy Ballew and
NellyCornell Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is a rapper, singer, actor and entrepreneur. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly made his solo debut in 2000 with Country Grammar, the title track of...
when Vokal became his primary sponsor, until Billy ran out of money to run two trucks. Ballew kept Rich Bickle, leaving Houston without a ride. Later that year,
Ultra MotorsportsUltra Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup & Craftsman Truck Series racing team. Jim Smith helped start the team and the Craftsman Truck Series. It ran full time in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1994 to 2005, earning many wins and a 2005 championship with Ted Musgrave...
gave him a truck ride and he did well, finishing no worse than sixth and earned a pole at
Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas -- the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track layout is very similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway...
. For the 2004 season, he continued driving for
Ultra MotorsportsUltra Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup & Craftsman Truck Series racing team. Jim Smith helped start the team and the Craftsman Truck Series. It ran full time in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1994 to 2005, earning many wins and a 2005 championship with Ted Musgrave...
until he was released after the race at
BristolBristol Motor Speedway, originally known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track located in Bristol, Tennessee. It was constructed in 1960, and held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
. Houston most of the other races with numerous teams and had a best finish of 7th at
DoverDover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
. In 2005, he only ran one race with
Key MotorsportsKey Motorsports is a NASCAR team owned by Curtis Key. The team currently fields the #40 Chevrolet driven by Scott Wimmer in the Nationwide Series and Mike Bliss in the Camping World Truck Series...
at
Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol Motor Speedway, originally known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track located in Bristol, Tennessee. It was constructed in 1960, and held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, finishing 33rd after a crash. He has yet to return to the
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
since the 2005 season.