Tony Siscone

Last updated December 04, 2024

Tony Siscone (born March 25, 1949) was an asphalt modified racecar driver from 1972 through 1994.

He was raised in the Collings Lakes section of Buena Vista Township, New Jersey. A resident of Hammonton, New Jersey,^[1] he graduated from Hammonton High School in 1967^[2] and from Rider University in 1971. Siscone was a high school teacher for 17 years. In 1976, he married Margaret, "Margi", Clark from Berlin, NJ. After receiving the "N.J. Governor's Teacher Of The Year" award in 1987, Tony retired from teaching and he and his wife started their own business, Safety Connection Inc.

Racing career

Tony Siscone began his racing career driving go-karts between 1962-1969. He and his Dad had 90 victories including numerous IKF State and Regional karting titles. Siscone and his father, Tony Sr., competed several times in IKF National Championship go-kart events against factory backed teams, finishing 10th, 6th and 4th.

Tony Siscone began his stock car racing career in 1972 driving the Richie Terruso Brothers' #T3 sportsman car to 8 victories at Atlantic City Speedway and Wall Stadium. Tony won his first track championship in 1974, driving the #T4 owned by his father and Tony Ruberti at the Atlantic City Speedway. During 1975 & 1976, Siscone drove the #65 car owned by John Lyons and powered by a Tom Skinner/Lyons Chevy racing engine to 12 victories and his 2nd Championship. In 1978, Tony drove the #21X owned by Ed Brown/John Lyons to 6 wins, and the #21 owned by Sal DeBruno to 4 wins. The 2 cars won every race they finished, resulting in Tony's 3rd track championship at the Atlantic City Speedway.

From 1973-1975 Siscone struggled to get his Modified stock car career on track. The Terruso brothers gave Tony his first opportunity to compete in the modified ranks driving their modified #T2. As time went on, the team realized they lacked the finances to compete with the top teams. During the 1975 season, Tony and the Terruso team parted ways, and Tony drove for anyone who would to give him a chance. After 3 Modified seasons, Tony had 11 top 5 finishes including 3 second places, but NO wins. Midway through the 1976 season at Wall Stadium, Tony landed a ride in Tom Green's #71 modified. Siscone wheeled the "Green Machine" to 6 top 5 finishes and NO wins. In 1977, after 4 winless modified seasons, fellow Hammontonian Frank Ransom offered Siscone the ride in his state of the art, controversial #0 NASCAR Modified. The Ransom/Siscone Team won 3 modified events with a 355 CI small block Chevy engine against the big block modifieds at Wall Stadium and NASCAR's New Egypt Speedway. In April 1978, opening night at Wall Stadium, the Ransom/Siscone team won the modified main event. 4 days after celebrating their big win, car owner Frank Ransom shockingly passed away. Needless to say, Tony and Team Ransom were devastated. After 3 months without a modified ride at Wall Stadium, Tony was given the chance to drive the Fred & Kathy Burdge #57 modified. After 11 starts the Burdge/Siscone team ended the season with 3 top 5 finishes and 6 top 10 finishes and NO wins.

THEN, in August 1978, legendary car owner, Dick Barney, his son Robert and Hoyt Morrison offered Tony the chance to drive their 6-year-old #14 modified car during the last six races of the season at NASCAR's New Egypt Speedway. Tony went on to finished all six races in the top 5. The Barney/Morrison team wrapped up the 1978 season at Wall Stadium's "Turkey Derby 150". Tony started 23rd in the Derby and charged to a 5th place finish. Siscone went on to drive the #14 for the next 16 1/2 years. During his 22 years behind the wheel, Tony Siscone competed in 784 races and went to victory lane 151 times, finished 2nd 121 times and 3rd 111 times. 49% of his career finishes were in the top 3 positions! He earned 12 track Championships: 6 at Wall Stadium, 3 at Atlantic City Speedway, 2 at NASCAR's Flemington Speedway, and 1 at NASCAR's New Egypt Speedway. In 1983, the Barney/Siscone Team won the New Egypt Speedway NASCAR Championship, finishing in the top 3 in every race. Siscone also won the 1984 "NASCAR Cardinal 250" at the Martinsville Speedway, 2 years after receiving severe burns to both hands at the Martinsville track after being involved in a fiery crash with Ray Evernham. 1992 was the last year that Wall Stadium ran the unlimited NASCAR modifieds. From 1950-1992 Wall Stadium's headliner division was the "Mighty Modifieds" hence, Tony Siscone ranked second in all-time wins in Wall Stadium's NASCAR Modified division and Gil Hearne was the all time winningest Modified driver. Surprisingly, Tony Siscone retired in victory lane after winning the 1994, 44th annual, "Sunoco Race of Champions 250" at Flemington Speedway.

SPECIAL AWARDS: 1972 "Rookie of the Year" at Wall Stadium and Atlantic City Speedway"--1983 "Fred DeSarro Sportsmanship Award"--1984 Motorweek Illustrated "Driver Of The Week Award"--1989 "Dick Toby Tobias Achievement Award".    In 1999, Tony Siscone was inducted into the "National Old Timers Racing Hall Of Fame". In 2000, Siscone was voted 17th in the Area Auto Racing News' "Top-25 Asphalt Modified Drivers of the 20th Century". In 2001, Tony was inducted into the "Garden State Stock Car Club's Hall of Fame". In January 2013, Siscone was inducted into the "Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall Of Fame".^[3]^[4]^[5]

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References

↑ via Associated Press. "Kent captures Cardinal 500", Lakeland Ledger , November 1, 1982. Accessed December 4, 2012. "Both cars caught fire after the Firenza driven by Ray Evernham of Hazlet, hit the backstretch wall and the Firenza driven by Tony Siscone of Hammonton, N. J., crashed into him at an estimated 100 mph."
↑ 'Hamm'ton Seniors Get Colleges' OK", The Press of Atlantic City , April 21, 1967. Accessed May 9, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The following seniors at Hammonton High School have 'been accepted in college:... Anthony Siscone, Rider College"
↑ "H. Clay Earles - Martinsville Speedway". Archived from the original on 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
↑ http://lookingback.speedwaylinereport.com/PDF/NOV07/11-2-07LB.pdf ^{[ dead link ‍]}
↑ "New Egypt Speedway - Track History". Archived from the original on 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-06-30.

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[1] via Associated Press. "Kent captures Cardinal 500", Lakeland Ledger , November 1, 1982. Accessed December 4, 2012. "Both cars caught fire after the Firenza driven by Ray Evernham of Hazlet, hit the backstretch wall and the Firenza driven by Tony Siscone of Hammonton, N. J., crashed into him at an estimated 100 mph."

[2] 'Hamm'ton Seniors Get Colleges' OK", The Press of Atlantic City , April 21, 1967. Accessed May 9, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The following seniors at Hammonton High School have 'been accepted in college:... Anthony Siscone, Rider College"

[3] "H. Clay Earles - Martinsville Speedway". Archived from the original on 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2009-06-30.

[4] ttp://lookingback.speedwaylinereport.com/PDF/NOV07/11-2-07LB.pdf ^{[ dead link ‍]}

[5] "New Egypt Speedway - Track History". Archived from the original on 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-06-30.

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