RICHMOND, Va – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Patrick Staropoli has a backup plan if his career as a race car driver doesn’t work out.
It’s a pretty good one too.
A Harvard University graduate, Staropoli is currently in his third year of medical school at the University of Miami. In a year and a half, June 2017 to be exact, he’ll earn his degree.
In the meantime, Staropoli continues to pursue his racing career. The likable driver will compete in Thursday night’s UNOH 100 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway for the team that gave him his NASCAR start, Bill McAnally Racing (BMR).
Despite limited experience in stock cars, the 25-year-old quickly gained notoriety and attention for his one-track performance, even while juggling his education. With an approved leave from University officials, the Miami, Florida native, competed in a limited K&N West Series slate for BMR.
But, when sponsorship failed to materialize for 2015, Staropoli took a sabbatical from the race track and turned his attention back to medical school with a primary focus on ophthalmology.
“I feel like that fork in the road is definitely coming at some point,” Staropoli told reporters Thursday afternoon at Richmond. “I love racing. I’m so passionate about this, and I’ve love doing it since I was 12 years old and got in my first Go-kart.”
Staropoli catapulted himself into the national spotlight in 2013 when he won the inaugural PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge. Winning the event earned him a one-race deal with MWR in association with Michael Waltrip Racing, where his results exceed expectations in Spokane, Washington.
The decision to keep Staropoli in the seat paid off, where in his third K&N race, he soared to his first career win in a popular victory at Irwindale (Calif.) Raceway last year.
When not in the race car last season, Staropoli spent much of his time at Michael Waltrip Racing working in the marketing department, gathering any insight that would help fulfill his dream of racing full-time.
In-between massaging a racing career that blossomed from weekend races with his father as a child, Staropoli has been steadily earning his degree, and racing is now scheduled around his classes.
“Anytime I have to get behind the wheel of a racecar I’m going to take it,” added Staropoli, who during his tenure at Harvard was in the top 10 percent of his class and graduated with honors.”
For his debut at Richmond, Staropoli shuffled around a rigorous school schedule to compete in the UNOH 100. Despite still working on finding the perfect setup, Staropoli and marketing partner AutoNation are focused on awareness in the two-race deal, which also includes the season-finale at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
Campaigning a pink No. 99 Toyota Camry, Staropoli hopes to bring awareness to the Cure Bowl, a college football game December 19 in Orlando. The bowl serves an even bigger purpose though than just a sports spectacle.
A $1,000,000 donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation will be made from proceeds of the Cure Bowl.
For now, life is almost perfect for Starpoli, inhaling the best of both words.
Though, while becoming Patrick Staropoli M.D. would be a stout accomplishment, the opportunity to be crowned Sprint Cup champion is a dream he refuses to let go.
“Hopefully we keep running good, keep getting more opportunities,” Staropoli added. “Racing is what I love so I would go for it in a heartbeat.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
