A look back at the life and career of Carmine Abbatiello
At 0h03, on January 28, 2026 • By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hall of Fame driver Carmine Abbatiello, one of harness racing’s most successful and popular drivers throughout a career that spanned more than four decades, passed away Tuesday (Jan. 27), his family announced. He was 89.
Mr. Abbatiello, who drove in his first race in 1956, was a fixture on the New York-New Jersey circuits, and over the years captured numerous driving titles in the region – most notably a combined total of nearly 20 at Roosevelt and Yonkers. He attended high school on Staten Island and from there worked eight years with his brother Anthony, another Hall of Famer, before going on his own in 1964.
