Tommy Houston

Tommy Houston (born January 29, 1945) is a retired NASCAR Busch Series driver. Over his career, Houston and Jack Ingram became known as the pair of journeymen drivers that helped that series grow throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

Houston was born in Hickory, North Carolina, and was in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman division, winning nearly 150 races before the series was formed into the Busch Series.

Busch Series career Houston made the inaugural race of the Busch Series at the 1982 Daytona race. Driving the No. 27 Kings Inn Chevy for Mike Day, Houston started 23rd and finished the race in ninth position. The next week, Houston started fifteenth at the series' first ever short track race, at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. From there, Houston moved solidly through the field and held off Bubba Nissen for the win. After problems at Bristol, Houston put together a run of five top-ten finishes. However, inconsistency through the year cost him. He did not finish the last three races as well as seven others. That cost him any shot at the title. At Hickory Speedway in August, however, Houston held off Tommy Ellis for his second career win, after starting fourth. All told, he finished fourth in the 1982 Busch Series points.

In 1983, Houston began running his No. 6 full-time. He was able to reduce his DNF count from ten to six. He had four more top-ten finishes. He won two races at Orange County Speedway, and one each at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Hickory. He also finished second three times. His sponsors over the years included Southern Biscuit Flour, Roses Stores, Suburban Propane and Red Devil Paints.

Houston snapped a fifty-race winless streak at his home track on Easter Sunday in 1992 after the death of his father the day before. Houston came from three laps down to overtake Bobby Labonte for the win. The USA Today headline read "Divine Intervention".

Houston's family was very involved in his efforts. He was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

Personal life Houston's son, Andy Houston, raced in all of the three major NASCAR series. Additionally, he is the uncle of Teresa Earnhardt, wife of Dale Earnhardt.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts Ref 1980 Junior Miller Racing 95 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL ONT 48th 396 1981 Hamby Motorsports 17 Buick RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR TAL NSV DOV 52nd - Chevy MAR NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR Olds CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 1982 Ulrich Racing 40 Buick DAY RCH BRI ATL CAR DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS CLT MAR CAR ATL RSD 88th 88 1985 Houston Racing 32 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 91st 55

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1982 Mike Day 27 Chevy DAY MAR DAR HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY HCY ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY HCY RCH HCY MAR 4th 3827 6 Pontiac RCH CLT 7 Pontiac BRI Mike Day 6 Chevy DOV IRP BRI MAR Olds CLT 1983 DAY CAR HCY DAR CLT 3rd 4933 Chevy RCH MAR NWS SBO GPS LGY DOV BRI CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU CRW ROU SBO HCY LGY IRP GPS BRI HCY RCH NWS SBO MAR ROU HCY MAR 1984 Olds DAY CAR DAR DOV CLT IRP DAR CLT CAR MAR 3rd 4070 Chevy RCH HCY MAR ROU NSV LGY MLW SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU HCY LGY SBO BRI RCH NWS HCY 1985 Olds DAY CAR DAR SBO IRP SBO DAR CLT CAR 4th 3936 Chevy HCY BRI MAR SBO LGY HCY ROU Buick DOV CLT LGY HCY MLW5* BRI RCH NWS ROU HCY MAR 1986 Steve Arndt DAY CAR HCY MAR BRI DAR SBO LGY JFC DOV CLT SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO RAL SBO HCY LGY ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 5th 4098 Pontiac OXF ROU 1987 Buick DAY HCY MAR DAR BRI LGY SBO CLT DOV IRP ROU JFC OXF SBO HCY RAL LGY ROU BRI JFC DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 12th 3205 1988 DAY HCY CAR MAR DAR BRI LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB OXF SBO HCY LNG IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR9* 5th 3964 1989 DAY CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI NZH19* SBO LAN NSV CLT DOV ROU LVL VOL MYB SBO HCY DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 2nd 3946 1990 Houston Racing DAY RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT DOV ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NHA CAR MAR 9th 3667 1991 DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR 8th 3777 1992 Olds DAY ATL TAL MCH CLT 10th 3599 Buick CAR RCH MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA IRP ROU NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CAR HCY 1993 Ford DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR CLT DOV MYB MLW TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT MAR CAR HCY ATL 16th 2852 0 NZH 3 GLN 61 NHA Precision Products Racing 0 Olds RCH 1994 Houston Racing 6 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR HCY BRI ROU NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR 28th 1658 Rexrode Galiano Motorsports 1 Ford MAR 1995 Houston Racing 6 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM 21st 2069 1996 DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM 28th 1563 0 HCY

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 1999 Addington Racing 6 Chevy HOM PHO EVG MMR MAR MEM PPR I70 BRI TEX PIR GLN MLW NSV NZH MCH NHA IRP GTY HPT RCH LVS LVL TEX CAL 117th 58

Busch North Series NASCAR Busch North Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Pts Ref 1987 Steve Arndt 6 Buick DAR OXF SEE OXF DOV IRP CNB JEN OXF EPP OXF STA1* HOL TIO OXF UNI DAR SPE DOV SEE CLT OXF CAR 59th 185 1989 Steve Arndt 6 Buick DAY CAR MAR OXF NZH MND OXF DOV OXF JEN EPP HOL OXF4 JEN OXF IRP TMP OXF RPS OXF RCH DOV EPP 48th 160 1992 Houston Racing 6 Buick DAY CAR RCH NHA NZH MND OXF DOV LEE JEN OXF44 NHA OXF HOL EPP NHA RPS OXF NHA EPP 81st 31

ARCA Talladega SuperCar Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Talladega SuperCar Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 1985 Mike Day 6 Olds ATL DAY ATL TAL ATL SSP IRP CSP FRS IRP OEF ISF DSF TOL 95th -