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. 

 

In 2024 the young Bartone competed in Europe in the SRO World Challenge Europe Championship, GT International Open, and Asian Le Mans Series. The highlight of the year was a win at the SRO World Challenge Spa 24 Hours, pegged as the world's largest GT3 race. Bartone and teammates James Kell, Yannick Mettler, and Aaron Walker won the Silver Class. In addition to the Spa win, he won at Portimão in International GT Open to go along with a podium finish in Barcelona.