Patrick Staropoli will make NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut piloting the Sam Hunt Racing No. 24 Syfovre GR Supra for starting at Martinsville Speedway
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 19, 2025) — Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) announced today that Retina Surgeon, (Dr.) Patrick Staropoli will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) debut at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, March 29th as part of a multi-race deal.
Staropoli, driving the No. 24 SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection) GR Supra, is a second-generation driver from Plantation, Florida. Staropoli gained national recognition by winning the 2013 PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge. The Harvard graduate has beat out some of NASCAR’s top amateur drivers, including runner-up, and fellow Toyota driver, Chase Briscoe, to earn a spot with Bill McNally Racing in the ARCA West Series during the 2014 season.
“It’s a dream come true to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Martinsville Speedway” said Staropoli. “Really thankful to Sam Hunt for this opportunity and all the work the team is putting in so we can take a fast No. 24 Syfovre GR Supra to the racetrack.”
Most recently, Staropoli captured a top-10 finish with Venturini Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway where he made his regional touring series return. Previously, Staropoli has made ten starts across the various ARCA series. With a 2014 ARCA West victory at Irwindale Speedway, Staropoli became the first Doctor in NASCAR history to win a race. Adding to his career, he also has a single start in the NASCAR Camping World Series.
As a board-certified medical and surgical retina specialist, Dr. Patrick Staropoli practices medicine for Retina Consultants of Texas, a Houston-based organization. He is a published researcher in various areas of clinical practice. The full-time physician and part-time racing driver finished his vitreoretinal surgery fellowship and ophthalmology residency at the nation’s top-ranked eye hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
“Our entire team is excited to work with Patrick and give him the shot he’s been working towards for so long. He’s an incredible person, extremely smart, and genuinely deserving of this opportunity” said team owner, Sam Hunt. “Our team is ready to embrace the challenge, and Patrick is working hard to be as prepared as possible for his debut in Martinsville. We’re also excited to welcome Apellis/Syfovre to the Sam Hunt Racing family, and grateful for their support of this program.”
Brian Gainey will continue to lead the effort as crew chief for the No. 24 team. Gainey has seen much success at fellow Toyota organization Joe Gibbs Racing, most recently serving as the car chief on the No. 20 NASCAR Xfinity team that won nine races and qualified to run for the owner’s championship in Phoenix last fall.
Tune in to the Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 29th at 5:00 PM ET. All NASCAR Xfinity Series races will be broadcast on the CW Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.
ABOUT APELLIS
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company that combines courageous science and compassion to develop medicines for patients. Apellis is the manufacturer of SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection). To learn more visit www.SYFOVRE.com
ABOUT TOYOTA
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).
Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 47 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, the company’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.6 million cars and trucks (more than 2.2 million in the U.S.) in 2023, of which more than one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
ABOUT SAM HUNT RACING
Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team that is owned and operated by 31-year-old former racer Sam Hunt. SHR’s vision is to be a top-performing team in the NXS and beyond. Working alongside industry titans such as Toyota Gazoo Racing, SHR has become a platform for the future of NASCAR drivers and the sport as a whole. Debuting in 2019, SHR eyes its seventh year of competition at the NXS level.
Source: Sam Hunt Racing
