Bobby East

Bobby East
Bobby East
Born	Robert John East; December 17, 1984; Homestead)
Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 (Las Vegas)
	Statistics current as of June 8, 2020.

Robert John East (December 17, 1984 – July 13, 2022) was an American professional stock car racing driver.^[2] He raced in USAC, ARCA, and NASCAR. During his career in the latter two, East was a member of Ford's driver development program.

Racing career

In 2001, East became the youngest driver at 16 years old to win a feature USAC National Midget event^[3] at the Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana.^{[citation needed]}

East competed full-time in the

USAC National Midget Series where he was the champion in 2004 driving the Steve Lewis Racing No. 9. The car's chassis was built by his father, Bob East, who is a renowned short-track car builder of midgets, sprints, and silver crown machines. The title gave him the distinction of being the youngest national champion in the series' history at age 19.^{[citation needed}

]

East was the most victorious driver during the

Hut Hundred and the Turkey Night Grand Prix. During this prestigious time he attained the nickname 'Beast' among his loyal fans, which is an amalgamation of the first letter of his first-name 'B' combined alongside his last-name 'East', which is unlike his kind demeanor and character to those that know him, but better describes his victorious 2004 season on Team Lewis placing 1st overall in his No. 9 car

.

East then moved on to racing stock cars. He first attempted to qualify for three races in the

ST Motorsports and had a solid race, finishing 17th.^{[citation needed}

]

In 2006, East competed nearly full-time in the same truck, where he was teammates in the team's driver development program with fellow rookie Marcos Ambrose, who drove the team's No. 20 truck. East would finish the year 23rd in points despite missing the first two races of the season.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, East ran part-time in the Busch Series with Brewco Motorsports, splitting time in the team's No. 27, No. 37 and No. 43 cars. During the season, Brewco became Baker Curb Racing after a change in ownership.^{[citation needed]}

East returned to the Truck Series part-time in

IRP. Roush also tasked East with qualifying Cup Series Carl Edwards' Nationwide (formerly Busch) Series No. 60 car for the race at Memphis, the same track he made his debut at three years earlier. However, East was not able to qualify very high in the field, placing 34th, although Edwards would go on to win the race after making his way through the field to the front, taking the lead on lap 69 and staying there for the rest of the race. This effort would end up being East's last outing in NASCAR.^{[citation needed}

]

Personal life

East was born in Torrance, California, and had also been living in Brownsburg, Indiana.^[4] Following the conclusion of his motorsports career, East experienced depression, used alcohol, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia by medical professionals. His parents believed these were caused or exacerbated by chronic traumatic encephalopathy from repeated head trauma suffered in racing accidents. As East was a homicide victim, an autopsy could not be performed to confirm whether the disease was present in his brain within the required timeframe after death.^[5]

Death

On July 13, 2022, while filling his car with gas at a

Anaheim and was killed in a shootout with Orange County police.^[9]

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.)

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide 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	NNSC	Pts	Ref
2005	ST Motorsports	46	Ford	DAY	CAL	MXC	LVS	ATL	NSH	BRI	TEX	PHO	TAL	DAR	RCH	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	DAY	CHI	NHA	PPR	GTY	IRP	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM 17	TEX	PHO	HOM	106th	112	^[10]
2007	Brewco Motorsports	37	Ford	DAY	CAL	MXC	LVS	ATL	BRI	NSH	TEX	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	NSH 24	KEN	MLW 22	NHA	DAY	CHI	GTY 16	IRP 39	CGV	GLN	MCH 38	BRI										52nd	806	^[11]
	Baker Curb Racing	37																												CAL 24			KAN 22	CLT
		27																													RCH 25	DOV						HOM 12
		43																																	MEM 36	TEX	PHO
2008	Roush Fenway Racing	60	Ford	DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	NSH	TEX	PHO	MXC	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	NHA	DAY	CHI	GTY	IRP	CGV	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM QL^†	TEX	PHO	HOM	N/A	0	^[12]
^† – Qualified for Carl Edwards

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	NCTC	Pts	Ref
2005	Roush Racing	33	Ford	DAY	CAL	ATL	MAR	GTY	MFD	CLT	DOV	TEX	MCH	MLW	KAN	KEN	MEM	IRP DNQ	NSH	BRI	RCH DNQ	NHA	LVS	MAR	ATL	TEX	PHO 30		83rd	73	^[13]
2005	JTG Racing	21	Ford																									HOM DNQ	83rd	73	^[13]
2006		20		DAY	CAL	ATL 23																							23rd	2186	^[14]
2006		21					MAR 13	GTY 13	CLT 24	MFD 34	DOV 17	TEX 28	MCH 30	MLW 17	KAN 24	KEN 34	MEM 21	IRP 11	NSH 36	BRI 29	NHA 30	LVS 22	TAL 23	MAR 21	ATL 15	TEX 22	PHO 18	HOM 16	23rd	2186	^[14]
2008	Roush Fenway Racing	09	Ford	DAY	CAL	ATL	MAR	KAN 24	CLT	MFD	DOV	TEX 8	MCH 18	MLW	MEM 8	KEN	IRP 19	NSH	BRI	GTW 25	NHA	LVS 25	TAL	MAR	ATL	TEX	PHO	HOM	34th	771	^[15]

ARCA Re/Max Series

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

ARCA Re/Max 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	ARSC	Pts	Ref
2005	K Automotive Racing	29	Ford	DAY	NSH	SLM	KEN	TOL	LAN	MIL	POC	MCH	KAN	KEN	BLN	POC	GTW	LER	NSH	MCH	ISF	TOL	DSF	CHI	SLM	TAL 36	169th	50	^[16]

References

^ "Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster". MyLAnews.com. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ "Driver Bobby East Career Statistics – Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
^ "Nine Racing – Bobby East". www.nineracing.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
^ admin. "Bobby East: Coming Up Fast in NASCAR – FunCityFinder". Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
^ Pat, Sullivan (December 18, 2022). "The Bobby East Story". usacracung.com. United States Auto Club. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
^ "Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster". MyLAnews.com. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ "Three-time USAC champion East dies at 37". speedsport.com. Turn 3 Media, LLC. July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ Murray, Richie (July 15, 2022). "Bobby East, 3-time USAC National Champion, Passes Away at 37". USAC Racing. United States Auto Club. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ "Westminster Police Kill Suspect in Slaying of NASCAR Driver Bobby East". MyLAnews.com. July 16, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ "Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "Bobby East – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

External links

Bobby East driver statistics at Racing-Reference

[1] "Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster". MyLAnews.com. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.

[2] "Driver Bobby East Career Statistics – Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

[3] "Nine Racing – Bobby East". www.nineracing.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

[4] . "Bobby East: Coming Up Fast in NASCAR – FunCityFinder". Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

[5] Pat, Sullivan (December 18, 2022). "The Bobby East Story". usacracung.com. United States Auto Club. Retrieved January 7, 2023.

[6] "Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster". MyLAnews.com. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.

[7] "Three-time USAC champion East dies at 37". speedsport.com. Turn 3 Media, LLC. July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[auto-8] Murray, Richie (July 15, 2022). "Bobby East, 3-time USAC National Champion, Passes Away at 37". USAC Racing. United States Auto Club. Retrieved July 16, 2022.

[9] "Westminster Police Kill Suspect in Slaying of NASCAR Driver Bobby East". MyLAnews.com. July 16, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.

[10] "Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[11] "Bobby East – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[12] "Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[13] "Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[14] "Bobby East – 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[15] "Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[16] "Bobby East – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2020.

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v t e Brewco Motorsports
Years active	1995–2007
Personnel	Clarence Brewer Tammy Brewer Todd Wilkerson
Former drivers	Casey Atwood Brad Baker Greg Biffle Ward Burton Joey Clanton Brad Coleman Clay Dale Bobby East Aaron Fike Jorge Goeters John Graham David Green Mark Green Kevin Grubb Justin Hobgood Matt Hutter Jason Keller Andy Kirby Bobby Labonte Kevin Lepage Jamie McMurray Chase Montgomery Hank Parker Jr. Jeff Purvis Ken Schrader Johnny Sauter Elton Sawyer Scot Walters Scott Wimmer Sean Woodside
NASCAR Hall of Fame	Bobby Labonte
Buyouts and mergers	Baker–Curb Racing