CLERMONT, Ind. — It looked to be a long day at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis for Bobby East on Saturday night when he broke the car’s rear end after just one lap of practice for the traditional Night Before the 500 USAC Mopar National Midget Championship event.
But when the final checkered flag waved, the second- generation driver fulfilled a dream by finally winning the prestigious event at the five-eighths mile oval, which is located just a short distance from his Brownsburg, Ind., home.
“I have come close to winning it, but I haven’t quite pulled it out until tonight,” said East, who is the son of former driver and midget car builder Bob East.
East said the 50 laps at ORP is much more difficult than some would believe. Tire management is crucial.
“There are a lot of things that play into it,” said East. “You saw it tonight with all of the oil spills and different cautions.”
East credited the crew on his Esslinger Ford-powered car for his success. After the mechanical problems, East was the second quickest qualifier and won his heat.

FINALLY, IT’S BOBBY: After years of trying, Bobby East finally won the Night Before the 500 USAC midget race at O’Reilly Raceway Park. (Gordon Gill Photo)

Even though East led all 50 laps, it seemed as if fate would again snatch the prize away from East when Cole Carter mounted a strong challenge on a restart. However, another caution period bunched up the field and Carter’s engine was starved for fuel and quickly fell off the pace.
“We had planned on plenty of cautions, but I guess we didn’t plan on enough,” said Carter. “It wasn’t meant to be.
“One of these days, I will win this race. It is twice now that it has gotten away from me.”
Carter was running second behind Dave Darland two years ago. During a red-flag period, there was some miscommunication with crew members and he was forced to restart on the tail after a pit infraction. Still, he recovered in that race to finish sixth.
“This one hurts a little worse,” said Carter, son of multi-time USAC champion Pancho Carter.
Chase Scott turned in his best-career national midget result by driving to an impressive second-place finish. Point-leader Tracy Hines, fast-qualifier Kody Swanson and Bobby Santos III rounded out the top five.
The summary:
Qualifications: 1. Kody Swanson, Nine Racing 19, 20.700; 2. Bobby East, Klatt 4, 20.783; 3. Cole Carter, Carter 7, 20.896; 4. Bobby Santos III, Western Speed 45, 20.899; 5. Jerry Coons, Jr., Wilke 11, 20.920; 6. Brady Bacon, Kahne 99, 20.922; 7. Shane Hmiel, Clauson 47, 20.946; 8. Brian Olson, Olson 77, 20.950; 9. Mike Murgoitio, Murgoitio 10, 20.955; 10. Kevin Swindell, Pedregon 75, 21.004; 11. Brad Sweet, Kahne 49, 21.010; 12. Cole Whitt, Kunz 71, 21.038; 13. Levi Jones, Stewart 20, 21.040; 14. Tracy Hines, Stewart 21, 21.055; 15. Billy Wease, Western Speed 80, 21.061; 16. Bradley Galedrige, Galedrige 29, 21.082; 17. Mario Marietta, Marietta 85, 21.089; 18. Brad Kuhn, Mentgen 07, 21.092; 19. Evan Margeson, Margeson 50, 21.105; 20. Chase Scott, West 151, 21.121; 21. Chad Boat, Boat 30, 21.138; 22. Dave Darland, Nine Racing 9, 21.163; 23. Ricky Ehrgott, Rev 1 8, 21.178; 24. Ron Gregory, RFMS 32, 21.186; 25. Zach Schiff, East 5, 21.206; 26. Chris Windom, Windom 17, 21.215; 27. Chase Barber, Barber 90, 21.222; 28. Chuck Gurney, Jr., Nine Racing 91x, 21.240; 29. Matt Mitchell, Kunz 97, 21.242; 30. Shane Golobic, Clauson 157, 21.254; 31. Ben Petter, Petter 22, 21.257; 32. Nic Faas, Western Speed 40, 21.265; 33. Darren Hagen, Kunz 67, 21.268; 34. Adam Kramer, Kramer 2, 21.274; 35. Dakoda Armstrong, C & A 7a, 21.294; 36. David Byrne, Byrne 20d, 21.303; 37. Brad Loyet, Loyet 05s, 21.329; 38. Thomas Meseraull, McGerigle 38, 21.372; 39. James Robertson, Steele 3, 21.373; 40. Mark Atkinson, Atkinson 23, 21.440; 41. Stephanie Mockler, East 6, 21.446; 42. Ryan Kaplan, Clauson 27, 21.467; 43. Brent Beauchamp, Beauchamp 112, 21.503; 44. Justin Overfelt, Zephyr 78, 21.585; 45. Mario Clouser, MCM 06, 21.676; 46. Caitlin Shaw, Shaw 89, 21.738; 47. Joe Liguori, Owen 28, 21.804; 48. Kevin Studley, Studley 57, 21.986; 49. Josh Butler, Butler 11j, 22.335; 50. Mark Overpeck, Overpeck 21x, 22.886; 51. Joey Polisczuk, Polisczuk 8x, 23.119; 52. Paul Zimmerly, Western Speed 60, 23.314; 53. Slade Miller, Miller 16, no time.
First Heat (10 laps): Swanson, Jones, Hagen, Murgoitio, Marietta, Coons, Loyet, Mitchell, Boat, Butler, Schiff, Mockler, Clouser.
Second Heat (10 laps): East, Bacon, Kuhn, Hines, Darland, Windom, Golobic, Meseraull, Kaplan, Kramer, Overpeck, Swindell, Shaw.
Third Heat (10 laps): Hmiel, Carter, Sweet, Wease, Ehrgott, Petter, Barber, Robertson, Beauchamp, Liguori, Polisczuk, Armstrong, Margeson.
Fourth Heat (10 laps): Santos, Olson, Galedrige, Whitt, Gurney, Gregory, Atkinson, Scott, Zimmerly, Faas, Overfelt, Studley, Byrne.
First Semi (8 laps): Scott, Coons, Windom, Petter, Mitchell, Atkinson, Byrne, Kaplan, Zimmerly, Gregory, Kramer, Shaw, Studley, Overpeck, Meseraull, Overfelt.
Second Semi (8 laps): Loyet, Boat, Golobic, Barber, Beauchamp, Faas, Robertson, Mockler, Liguori, Butler, Polisczuk, Clouser.
Feature (50 laps): East, Scott, Hines, Swanson, Santos, Bacon, Jones, Sweet, Wease, Ehrgott, Darland, Loyet, Carter, Boat, Olson, Gregory, Hmiel, Kuhn, Coons, Marietta, Galedrige, Whitt, Hagen, Murgoitio, Windom, Gurney.