{{Short description|American racing driver (1984–2022)}} {{Use American English|date=July 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox NASCAR driver | name = Bobby East | image = | caption = | birth_name = Robert John East | birth_date = {{Birth date|1984|12|17}} | birth_place = Torrance, California, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|7|13|1984|12|17}} | death_place = Westminster, California, U.S.<ref> {{Cite news |url=https://mynewsla.com/crime/2022/07/14/police-seek-suspect-in-fatal-stabbing-in-westminster|title=Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster |work=MyLAnews.com |date=July 14, 2022 |access-date=July 16, 2022 }}</ref> | achievements = [http://www.usacracing.com/assets/files/History%20Docs/history%20driver%20champions%20silver%20crown.pdf 2012 USAC Silver Crown Series Champion], 2013 USAC Silver Crown Series Champion<br>2004 USAC National Midget Series Champion<br>2008 Copper World Classic Winner<br>2004 Belleville Midget Nationals Winner | awards = 2004 USAC Driver of the Year | Total_Busch_Races = 11 | Years_In_Busch = 2 | Busch_Car_Team = | Prev_Busch_Pos = | Prev_Busch_Year = | Best_Busch_Pos = 52nd (2007) | First_Busch_Race = 2005 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis) | Last_Busch_Race = 2007 Ford 300 (Homestead) | First_Busch_Win = | Last_Busch_Win = | Busch_Wins = 0 | Busch_Top_Tens = 0 | Busch_Poles = 0 | Total_Truck_Races = 31 | Years_In_Truck = 3 | Truck_Car_Team = | Prev_Truck_Pos = | Prev_Truck_Year = | Best_Truck_Pos = 23rd (2006) | First_Truck_Race = 2005 Chevy Silverado 150 (Phoenix) | Last_Truck_Race = 2008 Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 (Las Vegas) | First_Truck_Win = | Last_Truck_Win = | Truck_Wins = 0 | Truck_Top_Tens = 2 | Truck_Poles = 1 | updated = June 8, 2020 |Cause of Death=Murder by stabbing}}

'''Robert John East''' (December 17, 1984 – July 13, 2022) was an American professional stock car racing driver.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Driver Bobby East Career Statistics – Racing-Reference.info |url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=eastbo01|access-date=February 19, 2021 |website=www.racing-reference.info}}</ref> 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 sixteen years old to win a feature USAC National Midget event<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nine Racing – Bobby East|url=http://www.nineracing.com/history/past_drivers/bobby_east.html|access-date=2021-02-19|website=www.nineracing.com}}</ref> at the Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

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 the age of nineteen.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

East was the most victorious driver during the 2004 USAC season with 15 victories among the series' three divisions. He wound up in victory lane seven times in national midgets, five times in national sprint cars, and once each in the Silver Crown, Western States Sprint Car, and Speedrome Regional Midget Series during the season. The highlights of the season were winning 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 [http://www.usacracing.com/assets/files/History%20Docs/history%20driver%20champions%20national%20midget.pdf 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 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Roush Racing's No. 33 Ford, but failed to qualify for two of those races. In the one where he did qualify (at Phoenix), he wrecked late in that event and finished 30th. Additionally, he drove the No. 21 for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing at the Homstead season-finale, but failed to qualify for that race, too. Also that year, East made his ARCA Re/Max Series debut, where he competed at Talladega in October 2005, driving the No. 29 Ford for K Automotive Racing. A few weeks later, he made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Memphis in the No. 46 for ST Motorsports and had a solid race, finishing 17th.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

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.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

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.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

East returned to the Truck Series part-time in 2008, reuniting with Roush to driving their No. 09 Zaxby's Ford F-150. This included him winning the pole for the race at 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.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

==Personal life== East was born in Torrance, California, and had also been living in Brownsburg, Indiana.<ref>{{Cite web|last=admin|title=Bobby East: Coming Up Fast in NASCAR – FunCityFinder|url=http://brownsburg-indiana.funcityfinder.com/2010/03/09/bobby-east/|access-date=2021-02-19|language=en-US|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514105204/https://brownsburg-indiana.funcityfinder.com/2010/03/09/bobby-east/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Pat|first1=Sullivan|url=https://www.usacracing.com/component/k2/item/11801-the-bobby-east-story|title=The Bobby East Story|date=December 18, 2022|accessdate=January 7, 2023|website=usacracung.com|publisher=United States Auto Club}}</ref>

==Death== On July 13, 2022, while filling his car with gas at a 76 gas station in Westminster, California, East was accosted by Trent Millsap, a transient who had a warrant for a parole violation out on him. The two exchanged words and Millsap stabbed East in his chest; East was rushed to the hospital, but died from his injuries shortly thereafter.<ref> {{Cite news |url=https://mynewsla.com/crime/2022/07/14/police-seek-suspect-in-fatal-stabbing-in-westminster|title=Police Seek Suspect in Fatal Stabbing in Westminster |work=MyLAnews.com |date=July 14, 2022 |access-date=July 16, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/usac/three-time-usac-champion-east-dies-at-37/|title=Three-time USAC champion East dies at 37|date=July 15, 2022|accessdate=July 15, 2022|website=speedsport.com|publisher=Turn 3 Media, LLC.}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Richie |url=http://usacracing.com/news/silver-crown/item/11394-bobby-east-3-time-usac-national-champion-passes-away-at-37|title=Bobby East, 3-time USAC National Champion, Passes Away at 37 |work=USAC Racing |publisher=United States Auto Club |date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=July 16, 2022 }}</ref> Millsap was later found hiding in an apartment in nearby Anaheim and was killed in a shootout with Orange County police.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://mynewsla.com/crime/2022/07/16/westminster-police-kill-suspect-in-slaying-of-nascar-driver-bobby-east|title=Westminster Police Kill Suspect in Slaying of NASCAR Driver Bobby East |work=MyLAnews.com |date=July 16, 2022 |access-date=July 16, 2022 }}</ref>

==Motorsports career results== ===NASCAR=== (key) (<span style="font-size:85%">'''Bold'''&nbsp;– Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics''&nbsp;– Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. *&nbsp;– Most laps led.</span>)

====Nationwide Series==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%" ! colspan=42| 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 ! {{Tooltip|NNSC|NASCAR Nationwide Series classification}} ! 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 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MEM<br>{{small|17}} | TEX | PHO | HOM ! 106th ! 112 ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2005/B|title=Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=4| 2007 ! Brewco Motorsports ! rowspan=2| 37 ! rowspan=4| Ford | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS | ATL | BRI | NSH | TEX | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| NSH<br>{{small|24}} | KEN | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MLW<br>{{small|22}} | NHA | DAY | CHI | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GTY<br>{{small|16}} | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IRP<br>{{small|39}} | CGV | GLN | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MCH<br>{{small|38}} | BRI | colspan=9| ! rowspan=4| 52nd ! rowspan=4| 806 ! rowspan=4| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2007/B|title=Bobby East – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=3| Baker Curb Racing | colspan=26| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CAL<br>{{small|24}} | colspan=2| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| KAN<br>{{small|22}} | CLT | colspan=4| |- ! 27 | colspan=27| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RCH<br>{{small|25}} | DOV | colspan=5| | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| HOM<br>{{small|12}} |- ! 43 | colspan=31| | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MEM<br>{{small|36}} | TEX | PHO | |- ! 2008 ! nowrap| 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 | style="background:#FFFFFF;"| MEM<br>{{small|QL<sup>†</sup>}} | TEX | PHO | HOM ! N/A ! 0 ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2008/B|title=Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |- | colspan=42|<small><sup>†</sup> – Qualified for Carl Edwards</small> |}

====Craftsman Truck Series==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%" |- ! colspan=32| 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 ! {{Tooltip|NCTC|NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |- ! rowspan=2| 2005 ! Roush Racing ! 33 ! Ford | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | GTY | MFD | CLT | DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | KAN | KEN | MEM | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| IRP<br>{{small|DNQ}} | NSH | BRI | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| RCH<br>{{small|DNQ}} | NHA | LVS | MAR | ATL | TEX | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHO<br>{{small|30}} | ! rowspan=2| 83rd ! rowspan=2| 73 ! rowspan=2| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2005/C|title=Bobby East – 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=3 nowrap| Wood Brothers/JTG Racing ! 21 ! rowspan=3| Ford | colspan=24| | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| HOM<br>{{small|DNQ}} |- ! rowspan=2| 2006 ! 20 | DAY | CAL | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ATL<br>{{small|23}} | colspan=22| ! rowspan=2| 23rd ! rowspan=2| 2186 ! rowspan=2| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2006/C|title=Bobby East – 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |- ! 21 | colspan=3| | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MAR<br>{{small|13}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GTY<br>{{small|13}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CLT<br>{{small|24}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MFD<br>{{small|34}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DOV<br>{{small|17}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| TEX<br>{{small|28}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MCH<br>{{small|30}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MLW<br>{{small|17}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| KAN<br>{{small|24}} | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| KEN<br>{{small|34}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MEM<br>{{small|21}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| IRP<br>{{small|11}} | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NSH<br>{{small|36}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRI<br>{{small|29}} | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NHA<br>{{small|30}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| LVS<br>{{small|22}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| TAL<br>{{small|23}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MAR<br>{{small|21}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ATL<br>{{small|15}} | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| TEX<br>{{small|22}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| PHO<br>{{small|18}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| HOM<br>{{small|16}} |- ! 2008 ! Roush Fenway Racing ! 09 ! Ford | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| KAN<br>{{small|24}} | CLT | MFD | DOV | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| TEX<br>{{small|8}} | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MCH<br>{{small|18}} | MLW | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MEM<br>{{small|8}} | KEN | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''IRP'''<br>{{small|19}} | NSH | BRI | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GTW<br>{{small|25}} | NHA | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LVS<br>{{small|25}} | TAL | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM ! 34th ! 771 ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2008/C|title=Bobby East – 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |}

===ARCA Re/Max Series=== (key) (<span style="font-size:85%">'''Bold'''&nbsp;– Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics''&nbsp;– Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. *&nbsp;– Most laps led.</span>) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%" |- ! colspan=30| 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 ! {{Tooltip|ARSC|ARCA Re/Max Series classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |- ! 2005 ! nowrap| 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 | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TAL<br>{{small|36}} ! 169th ! 50 ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/eastbo01/2005/A|title=Bobby East – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Racing-Reference driver|Bobby_East}}

{{Navboxes |title = Bobby East related navboxes |list1 = {{RFK Racing}} {{Curb Racing}} {{Brewco Motorsports}} {{HYAK Motorsports}} {{Larry Clement Racing}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:East, Bobby}} Category:1984 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Sportspeople from Brownsburg, Indiana Category:Racing drivers from Indiana Category:NASCAR drivers Category:Racing drivers from Torrance, California Category:ARCA Menards Series drivers Category:USAC Silver Crown Series drivers Category:Deaths by stabbing in California Category:People murdered in California Category:American murder victims Category:2022 murders in the United States Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:RFK Racing drivers Category:People with mood disorders Category:People with schizophrenia Category:People murdered in 2022 Category:Violence against disabled people in the United States