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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.
Tony Siscone began his racing career driving go-karts between 1962-1969. He had 90 victories, gaining numerous IKF State and Regional go-kart titles. Siscone and his father, Tony Sr., competed several times in IKF National Championship go-kart events against factory backed teams, twice finishing in the top 6.
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 1975-76 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, winning every race that the 2 cars finished, resulting in his 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 4 modified seasons Tony had 11 top 5 finishes including 3 second places, but no wins. In 1977, 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 blocks 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.
THEN in August 1978, legendary car owner, Dick Barney, his son Robert and Hoyt Morrison offered Tony the drive in their 6-year-old #14 modified car during the last six races of the season at NASCAR's New Egypt Speedway. Siscone finished all six races in the top 5, and went on to drive the #14 for the next 16 1/2 years. During his 22 years behind the wheel, Tony started 791 races and collected 151 victories, finished 2nd 121 times and 3rd 109 times. 48% of his career finishes were in the top 3. He gained 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 500 at the Martinsville Speedway, 2 years after receiving serious burns to both hands at the Martinsville track after being involved in a fiery crash with Ray Evernham. From 1950-1992 Siscone ranked second in all-time wins in Wall Stadium's NASCAR Modified division, behind Gil Hearne. Tony Siscone retired in victory lane after winning the 1994, 44th annual, "Sunoco Race of Champions" at Flemington Speedway.
In 2000, Siscone was voted 17th in the Area Auto Racing News' "Top-25 Asphalt Modified Drivers of the 20th Century". He was inducted into the National Old Timers Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Garden State Stock Car Club's Hall of Fame in 2001. In January 2013 Siscone was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.[3][4][5]
