Anthony Bartone Jr.

Anthony Bartone Jr. comes from a lineage of drag racers. Father Tony and Uncle Michael cut their teeth on the east coast quarter mile drag strips. Tony, as a NHRA driver and team owner has over 80 NHRA National Event wins and today fields a Top Alcohol Funny Car team in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. 

 

Anthony has chosen a different path, sports car racing. To start on this road, Anthony decided to work with the Bartone families long-time friend Andy Pilgrim. He got his first taste of high-speed track time at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky where Andy was a track experience consultant. 

 

Pilgrim, being a 5-time sports car champion with a history at Le Mans, Sebring, and Daytona immediately saw the talent of the young Bartone. Having only received his competition license in 2022 Bartone continues to take a measured approach to climbing the sports car ladder with the eventual goal of running the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

In 2022 Bartone and Pilgrim raced Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport cars in SRO World Challenge GT4 America, GT Celebration, and International GT events, posting wins and podium finishes. Bartone got his first taste of European sports cars in the 2022 VW Fun Cup race at Circuit de Spa-Franchorchamps in Belgium. 

 

Bartone took to the track in SRO Motorsport America and Fanatec World Challenge series in 2023. Together with teammates Andy Pilgrim and Adam Christodoulou he won seven AM Class races and raced to a podium finish in Pro-Am at Road America. Based on his strong performance and maturity through the year he was awarded the Rookie of the Year honors. In addition to SRO, Bartone ran in the GT Open International Championship rounds at the Red Bull Ring and Barcelona, posting fourth and sixth place finishes.