Harvard graduate Patrick Staropoli turns NASCAR driver
By Micah Smith, Reporter / Digital Journalist – Bristol (WJHL) – Race car drivers from all over the U.S. came to the Tri-Cities for the Bristol race weekend. Many NASCAR fans said they dreamed of racing on a track like the one at Bristol Motor Speedway. For Patrick Staropoli, his dream became a reality.
“I started out going to the race track when I was 6 months old my dad used to race when I was a kid for about 20 years so I just grew up at the race track with him every weekend. I started in go carts when I was 13 and then moved up from there,” said Staropoli.
And while many NASCAR drivers share a similar upbringing, Staropoli took a different path.
He’s a Harvard University graduate, and currently a medical student at the University of Miami.
“Between flying across the country and coming back and then just managing your time and studying and everything like that it was a handful but I make both work,” said Staropoli.
Staropoli said despite being a student, his racing dreams never left him. So last year he decided to enter the Peak Stock Car Dream Challenge. More than 700 entered that contest, and just 10 were picked as finalists.
“I was lucky enough to win that competition and so now I’m a Michael Waltrip Development driver in the NASCAR K&N series so we’re out here at Bristol this weekend racing,” said Staropoli.
That win only fueled Staropoli to continue racing. Now he said this is what he wants to do for the rest of his life. Staropoli’s dad, Nick Staropoli said he’s always been a focused and driven person. He said he knows Staropoli will achieve anything he sets his mind to.
Patrick Staropoli said look for him to keep moving up the ranks in the number 99 Peak Toyota.
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