News

East takes Texas win

Bobby East picked up his first USAC National Midget Car Series win of 2009 by dominating Saturday night's Allstate Texas Racefest at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. East led all 60 laps in the Esslinger Ford-powered No. 4 Klatt Enterprises/ClubSport/Ford Racing Technology Beast.

East qualified sixth in the 22-car field and finished fourth in his heat. He started on the front row and jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag and was never headed throughout the 60-lap feature. He held off charges by Darren Hagen and Dakoda Armstrong to score his first win of 2009.

Friday night's Loyd Ruby Classic at Red River Speedway in Witchita Falls, Texas was canceled due to rain.

"It's a shame we didn't get to race both nights because I think we could have come out of Texas with two wins this weekend," East said. "Evan Avart and the team gave me a great car down here and I think we'll pick up where we left off when we get up to Columbus and Anderson in a couple weeks."

East jumps to fourth in the series point standings, just 29 points behind Hagen. The next stop for the USAC National Midgets is April 4 at the 1/3-mile Columbus Motor Speedway and April 5 at quarter-mile Anderson Speedway.  (3-14-09)

ClubSport To Sponsor Bobby East In 2009
Partnership kicks off this weekend at Copper on Dirt

ClubSport, a leader in the fitness resort industry, will sponsor Bobby East in the USAC Silver Crown and National Midget Series in 2009. The 13-race partnership begins this weekend with the Copper on Dirt at Manzanita Speedway, the season opener for all three USAC divisions.

ClubSport will join Ford Racing as co-primary sponsor for three races in an eight-day extravaganza of USAC Midget racing in the west including Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Dirt Track on Feb. 25 and Perris Auto Speedway on Feb. 28.

The remaining USAC races in which ClubSport will be a primary sponsor include:
• O’Reilly Raceway Park, Night Before the 500, May 23
• Richmond International Raceway, Silver Crown, June 26-27
• O’Reilly Raceway Park, Silver Crown and Midgets, July 23
• Iowa Speedway, Silver Crown, July 31
• Oswego Speedway, Silver Crown, Aug. 6
• Milwaukee Mile, Silver Crown, Aug. 29
• Phoenix International Raceway, Copper World Classic, Nov. 12
• Irwindale Speedway, Turkey Night Grand Prix, Nov. 26

Following a track practice on Thursday, Manzanita’s ½-mile dirt oval opens for preliminary events Friday, February 20, including qualifying, heat races and 10-lap “Copper Bowl Shootout” features for all three series. C mains, B Mains and the feature events will take place Saturday night, February 21. A 25-lap Midget race will be followed by a 40-lapper for the Sprint cars and the 50-lap Silver Crown finale.

Bobby East is a second generation driver with more than 30 career wins in USAC National divisions including the Night Before the 500, Hut Hundred, Turkey Night Grand Prix, Copper World Classic and Belleville Nationals. East is the 2004 USAC National Midget Champion and a veteran of more than 40 NASCAR Truck and Nationwide races. (2-20-09)