Courtney Crone

Courtney Crone has spent her entire life chasing speed—from traveling California tracks as a toddler with her father’s vintage racing team to competing in the F1 Academy as part of the Haas Driver Development Program. Her career is a testament to sheer persistence and versatility across dirt ovals, road courses, and prototype racing.

EARLY YEARS

Born March 7, 2001, Courtney Crone didn’t choose motorsports—motorsports chose her.[1][2][3] From the day she was born, racing was the family business. Her father ran his own vintage race car team, and young Courtney spent her childhood bouncing around California speedways, soaking in the smell of race fuel and the roar of engines.[2][3] It wasn’t just background noise; it became her favorite thing in the world.

At three years old, she got her first taste of go-karting and was instantly hooked.[2][3] By 2005, at the ripe old age of four, she was racing quarter midgets—because apparently, preschool wasn’t exciting enough.[1][2][3][7] For the next six years, she dominated the junior circuit, racking up six championships across multiple classes and claiming the California Kids Kart Oval Championship in 2007.[1][7] At 11, she switched gears—literally—and started racing Junior Speedway motorcycles in the 150cc class, collecting three track championships before moving up to 250cc.[1][2][8] Most kids that age were learning long division. Courtney was learning how to lean into a turn at 60 mph.

OTHER INTERESTS

Outside the cockpit, Crone takes pride in building and nurturing brands, working as a company spokesperson and product trainer.[3] She’s also had a taste of international adventure—her 2023 European racing stint in the German Prototype Cup took her to legendary tracks like Hockenheimring and Zandvoort, where she mixed high-speed racing with a crash course in continental motorsports culture.[6] Beyond that, her interests remain tightly wound around the racing world. If there’s downtime, she hasn’t made it public.

EARLY SUCCESS

Crone’s racing resume reads like a checklist of “yes, she did that too.” After her quarter midget and motorcycle glory days, she dove into sprint cars at Perris Auto Speedway in 2016, winning the Young Guns Championship with six victories.[1] That same year, she competed in the USAC Western States Midget series, finishing fifth overall in 14 starts and earning Rookie of the Year honors.[1] She also dipped her toes into USAC National Midget competition in 2017, proving she could hang with the big kids on dirt.[1]

Then came the pivot to road racing. In 2017, she finished third in the FormulaSPEED class of the Formula Car Challenge with 13 podiums in 14 starts—a consistency that would make a metronome jealous.[1] The following year, she won the Formula Car Challenge championship outright.[1] By 2019, she was racing Formula F with Brad Hayes Racing, nabbing two wins and landing on the podium in all four starts.[1] She closed out the year with a cameo in the F4 United States Championship and earned invitations to the W Series shootouts in 2019 and 2020, though she wasn’t selected.[1][2][3]

In 2020, Crone competed in the Formula Pro USA F4 Championship, finishing fourth overall with one win, three podiums, and one fastest lap.[1] Her adaptability became her calling card—dirt ovals, pavement, prototypes, single-seaters. If it had wheels and went fast, she could figure it out.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2005–2011: Six championships in quarter midget racing across multiple classes; California Kids Kart Oval Champion in 2007[1][7].
• 2012 (approx.): Three track championships in Junior Speedway 150cc Motorcycle class[1][2][8].
• 2016: Perris Auto Speedway Young Guns Championship in Sprint Cars with six wins; USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year, fifth overall in 14 starts[1].
• 2016, 2017, 2018: Three-time recipient of the Women’s Sports Foundation/Project Podium with Lyn St. James award[1][2][3].
• 2017: VMB Driver Development Racing Scholarship[1][2][3].
• 2017: Third place in FormulaSPEED class of Formula Car Challenge with 13 podiums in 14 starts[1].
• 2018: Formula Car Challenge champion; Team USA Scholarship nominee; second VMB Driver Development scholarship[1][2][3].
• 2019: Two wins in Formula F with Brad Hayes Racing, podium in all four starts; invited to W Series shootout (not selected)[1][2][3].
• 2020: Fourth overall in Formula Pro USA F4 Championship with one win, three podiums, one fastest lap; third VMB Driver Development scholarship; invited to W Series shootout again (not selected)[1][2][3].
• 2021: Gorsline Company Scholarship[1][2][3].
• 2023: IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship (up to $250,000 value); six top-three finishes and two top-five results in IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge; one top-five and three top-ten finishes in German Prototype Cup LMP3 with Gebhardt Motorsports[1][3][4][6].
• 2024: Full-season entry in F1 Academy with ART Grand Prix as part of Haas Driver Development Program; competed in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America with World Speed Motorsports (#22 Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2)[1][2][3][4].

INSPIRATIONS

Crone’s biggest influence has always been her father, whose vintage race car team provided the backdrop for her childhood obsession with motorsports.[2][3] The nomadic life of traveling California tracks with his crew wasn’t just formative—it was foundational. Beyond that, she hasn’t publicly named racing heroes or role models, though her actions speak loudly enough: she’s chased every opportunity she could find, from dirt ovals to European prototypes to the F1 feeder series ladder. The inspiration seems less about idolizing individuals and more about proving she belongs wherever the racing takes her.

REPUTATION

Courtney Crone has earned a reputation as a grinder—someone who racks up experience across an absurdly diverse range of machinery and disciplines. Her scholarship haul alone (three-time VMB recipient, IMSA Diverse Driver Development, Gorsline, Women’s Sports Foundation) signals that industry decision-makers see potential worth investing in.[1][2][3][4] Media coverage has leaned positive, emphasizing her perseverance and adaptability, with features in outlets like Vanity Fair spotlighting her F1 Academy journey and the challenges women face in motorsports.[5] She’s discussed those barriers candidly alongside fellow racers Chloe Chambers and Lia Block, positioning herself as part of a new generation fighting for respect on track.[5]

Her self-described strength lies in brand-building and communication—skills that serve her well when hunting sponsors in a sport where funding often dictates fate.[3] She’s pragmatic about her path: “I really didn’t have a choice of where I raced, I just kind of went wherever I could find the sponsors and the opportunities,” she told Lamborghini.com.[4] That honesty is refreshing in a sport prone to manufactured narratives. She’s not pretending she had a linear rise or unlimited resources. She’s pieced together a career one scholarship and one opportunity at a time, and the industry seems to respect the hustle.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2025, Crone remains committed to the F1 Academy with ART Grand Prix under the Haas Driver Development Program umbrella, though specific 2025 race schedules haven’t been publicly detailed.[2] Her recent foray into Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and IMSA competition suggests she’s keeping multiple irons in the fire—a smart strategy for a driver whose career has been defined by versatility.[3][4] Whether she climbs higher on the single-seater ladder, dives deeper into sportscar racing, or continues bouncing between both depends largely on funding and opportunity—two variables she’s spent her entire career learning to navigate.

She’s made it clear that road racing is where her heart landed after years on dirt: “When I was making that transition from dirt racing to road racing, especially being 15, 16 years old, but when I got into the formula cars, I realised that ‘this is what I really want to do,’” she said.[4] Winning the IMSA scholarship felt like validation. “It was not just a financial boost, but a pivotal moment in my racing career,” she told RACER in 2023. “Knowing that I would be driving the iconic Red Dragon was like stepping into a cherished childhood dream.”[6] That kind of momentum—paired with her relentless work ethic—suggests she’s not slowing down anytime soon.

References:

Wikipedia – Courtney Crone
F1 Academy Official Site – Courtney Crone Profile
Courtney Crone Racing – About
Lamborghini.com – Courtney Crone Interview
CollegeData – Vanity Fair Feature
RACER – Courtney Crone 2023 Season Recap
Speedwaybikes.com – Courtney Crone Profile
F1 Las Vegas GP – Courtney Crone Bio