AUTO RACING Sprint car's rising stars are joining top NASCAR teams

Youngsters Bobby East and Erin Crocker signed developmental contracts.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- In the race to find NASCAR's next top driver, two top organizations signed rising sprint car standouts to developmental contracts.
Bobby East, a 19-year-old USAC champion, signed a long-term deal with Ford Racing Technology, and Evernham Motorsports hired female sprint car driver Erin Crocker to drive in several different series.
"We believe that NASCAR and all forms of racing should be open to everyone, whether you want to drive the car or work on the team," team owner Ray Evernham said Wednesday. "This is part of our ongoing growth initiative. We want to provide opportunities and help people succeed at all levels."
World of Outlaws winner
Crocker, 23, will compete for Evernham in stock cars in three ARCA races and three NASCAR Busch Series races. She also will drive for Kasey Kahne Motorsports in a sprint car in the Silver Crown Series.
She caught Evernham's eye last season when she became the first woman to win a World of Outlaws Race.
"I'm a big fan of open wheel racing and the talented drivers who come out of those series," Evernham said. "I'm always watching the sprint car and Silver Crown series because it's exciting racing, but it's also a great place to find talented, young drivers."
Crocker, who grew up in Wilbraham, Mass., ran her first event at age 7 and has a bachelor's degree in industrial and management engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She raced the World of Outlaws series last season, and won a race at Tulare, Calif.
"This is like a dream come true," said Crocker. "When Ray Evernham called, I was considering several options. But once that phone rang, my mind was made up.
Youngest USAC champ
"This is a chance for me to learn as much as I can, in several different types of cars, from the best in the business."
East, who is from Brownsburg, Ind., became the youngest USAC champion in the series' 49-year history when he earned the title this year by winning seven feature races and had 21 top-10s.
Ford plans to have East run at least one more season in the USAC National Midget Car Series and the USAC Silver Crown series. He'll test in several different NASCAR vehicles with a goal of eventually moving into the Nextel Cup series.
"I think it is all pretty cool," East said. "Going forward, I really want to succeed in stock car racing starting with the Busch Series and then going to Nextel Cup."