RacingNation.com
Home / USAC / East Selected To Drive A.J. Foyt Silver Crown Car At Iowa Speedway

East Selected To Drive A.J. Foyt Silver Crown Car At Iowa Speedway

Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind., has been selected to drive A.J. Foyt?s Greer Special C & R/Chevy in Saturday?s ?Casey?s General Stores USAC Triple Crown? USAC Silver Crown race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. It will mark Bobby?s initial appearance in the new-generation pavement Silver Crown car and his first series appearance since winning the 2005 ?J.D. Byrider 100? at the former Indianapolis Raceway Park (now O?Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis).

East?s assignment came after Tracy Hines, who piloted the car to victory in the March 23 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, suffered injuries in an off-road motorcycle accident at his Indiana home last Monday. Hines continues to recover at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis following surgery to repair a fractured pelvis, fractured left femur and a dislocated right knee.

East competed in 25 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events in 2006 and in 2004 won USAC?s National Midget Championship. He was also named the 2004 National Midget Driver of the Year. His 23 career USAC National feature victories also include a 100-lap Silver Crown win at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway in 2004.

?Bobby has won races in the older Silver Crown cars so we felt with his experience he was the best driver to put in the car,? said George Snider, a former USAC Silver Crown Champion who runs the Foyt Silver Crown program from Houston, Texas. ?It?s a shame what happened to Tracy Hines. He was doing what he wanted to do, which was ride his motorcycle, which is fine. We?re not locked in a closet when we?re not racing, none of us are. It?s just unfortunate that he had that accident. It?s a tough deal for him because he stood a good chance of winning this year?s championship.?

Saturday?s Iowa Speedway events include a 100-lap K & N Engineering Silver Crown race, plus 25-lap features for the Lucas Oil National Sprint Cars and the USAC National Midgets.

Share Button