ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Courtney Crone, of Corona, Calif., was presented the 23rd Gorsline Scholarship by John Gorsline in March during a Race Industry Now Webcast presented by EPARTRADE and RACER.
The previous scholarship was awarded in 2016 to Dylan Murray.
At 20 years of age, Crone’s auto racing career is already in its 17th season. She is currently competing in IMSA’s Prototype Challenge in an LMP3 prototype fielded by Forty7 Motorsports.
Crone began racing go-karts at the age of 4, then gradually evolved to quarter midgets, motorcycles and formula cars. She was a candidate for the Team USA Scholarship to contest the Formula Ford Festival and the Walter Hayes Trophy Race in the UK, and in 2016, 2017 and 2018 was a recipient of a Women’s Motorsports Foundation Project Podium scholarship. Crone also won the VMB Driver Development Scholarship shoot-out in 2017 and 2018 and drove Steve Brisentine’s Formula Speed 2.0 in the Formula Car Challenge Series for two seasons.
“Receiving the Gorsline Company Scholarship is a great honor,” said Crone. “Being in the company of the past recipients is an extra push for me to know that I can make it to the top with a lot of focus, and some luck. I am grateful to John and the entire Gorsline Company for choosing me as the 2021 recipient.”
The benefits of the scholarship for Crone include working with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, on an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, and with Jim Leo on a unique training program at Jim Leo’s PitFit Training – all courtesy of Gorsline Company.
“It’s hard to believe that Courtney, who’s only 20 years old, already has more than 16 years of experience in racing,” said Gorsline. “She represents the type of person – an ambitious and capable race-car driver – that Gorsline Company has been supporting since 1994 with the Gorsline Scholarship. I’m confident she’ll benefit even more than what she’s already experienced on the race track from these training programs.”
“I believe the programs will allow me to further my career not just in the car, but outside of the car for many years to come,” said Crone. “The knowledge that will come from both Jim Leo and Jacques Dallaire will enable me extract the most out of myself mentally and physically while racing, and that is just what I need to succeed.”
As for her goals in the future, “My goals for the future are simple: make it to the top level of motorsports whether it be in IMSA or IndyCar,” she said. “My big goal will always be to win the Indianapolis 500. But, after having my eyes opened to the world of IMSA, as long as I can stay within those two paddocks, I will be very happy. And, just because they are simple, does not make either of them any easier.”