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MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Jimmy Spencer will replace Andy Houston in owner Jim Smith's No. 2 ASE/CARQUEST Dodge for Friday night's Black Cat Fireworks 200 at The Milwaukee Mile.
Smith said Wednesday that the change is for one race and that he simply wants to get his second truck running as well as team leader Ted Musgrave's No. 1 Mopar Dodge. Musgrave has been a threat to win the past two races since Gene Nead returned as crew chief.
"Jimmy is going to try to help us figure out what's wrong with that 2 truck," Smith said. "I don't think it's Andy -- I think we've got an issue and I need a second opinion about what's going on.
"We got the 1 fixed and I'm on my to getting the other one fixed."
Despite the move, Houston plans to be in Milwaukee for Friday's event.
Spencer drove Smith's Cup Series cars in 2003 and made three Craftsman Truck Series starts after Jason Leffler left Ultra for a Cup ride.
Spencer and Connor had a dominant win in the No. 2 Ram last September at New Hampshire International Speedway, leading 124 of 200 laps.
"Andy is our driver and I have all the confidence in the world in him," Smith said. "But I thought it would be good to get Jimmy Spencer in there and to give me some good feedback.
"(Andy) will be fine. We'll get it all sorted out and move on to Kansas City next week with Andy in the truck."
Spencer was available for the Black Cat 200 when his Nextel Cup Series owner, Larry McClure, decided to skip this weekend's Dodge/Save Mart 350 road race at Infineon Raceway.
Houston returned to the Truck Series this season after leaving after the 2000 campaign to attempt a Cup career. Houston ran six of the final seven races of 2003 in the No. 2 trucks and had two top-five and six top-10 finishes and led 67 laps.
In 2004, Houston has struggled to two top-10 finishes. Houston has yet to lead a lap.
"Over the winter they did something really, really wrong to all those trucks -- we found out what it was and we have fixed it," Smith said. "Accidentally all the (mounting) points got moved on the trucks. It was a major, major issue."
Nead engineered 13 victories in Musgrave's first three seasons in the Truck Series, but left in the offseason. He returned two races ago and Musgrave's performance has turned around.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Jimmy Spencer will replace Andy Houston in owner Jim Smith's No. 2 ASE/CARQUEST Dodge for Friday night's Black Cat Fireworks 200 at The Milwaukee Mile.
Smith said Wednesday that the change is for one race and that he simply wants to get his second truck running as well as team leader Ted Musgrave's No. 1 Mopar Dodge. Musgrave has been a threat to win the past two races since Gene Nead returned as crew chief.
"Jimmy is going to try to help us figure out what's wrong with that 2 truck," Smith said. "I don't think it's Andy -- I think we've got an issue and I need a second opinion about what's going on.
"We got the 1 fixed and I'm on my to getting the other one fixed."
Despite the move, Houston plans to be in Milwaukee for Friday's event.
Spencer drove Smith's Cup Series cars in 2003 and made three Craftsman Truck Series starts after Jason Leffler left Ultra for a Cup ride.
Spencer and Connor had a dominant win in the No. 2 Ram last September at New Hampshire International Speedway, leading 124 of 200 laps.
"Andy is our driver and I have all the confidence in the world in him," Smith said. "But I thought it would be good to get Jimmy Spencer in there and to give me some good feedback.
"(Andy) will be fine. We'll get it all sorted out and move on to Kansas City next week with Andy in the truck."
Spencer was available for the Black Cat 200 when his Nextel Cup Series owner, Larry McClure, decided to skip this weekend's Dodge/Save Mart 350 road race at Infineon Raceway.
Houston returned to the Truck Series this season after leaving after the 2000 campaign to attempt a Cup career. Houston ran six of the final seven races of 2003 in the No. 2 trucks and had two top-five and six top-10 finishes and led 67 laps.
In 2004, Houston has struggled to two top-10 finishes. Houston has yet to lead a lap.
"Over the winter they did something really, really wrong to all those trucks -- we found out what it was and we have fixed it," Smith said. "Accidentally all the (mounting) points got moved on the trucks. It was a major, major issue."
Nead engineered 13 victories in Musgrave's first three seasons in the Truck Series, but left in the offseason. He returned two races ago and Musgrave's performance has turned around.