(NASCAR.com Exclusive by Holly Cain) – A Harvard graduate and third-year medical student at the University of Miami, Patrick Staropoli knows a little something about tough classes and challenging lessons. But the 25-year-old figures he has just aced what’s been at times a hard-knock course in big-time racing with the announcement Tuesday he’s landed a two-race sponsorship deal with AutoNation to compete in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East races at Richmond International Raceway this week and again at Dover International Speedway in October – his first taste of NASCAR competition in more than a year.
“I’m thrilled to be back,” said Staropoli, whose No. 99 AutoNation Cure Bowl Toyota will be fielded by the Bill McAnally Racing team. “It’s been a fight to try to get back in the K&N car. Definitely when you’re working your way up the ranks in NASCAR it’s all about timing and getting opportunity. I had an amazing opportunity and it’s not only the fight to get in, but to stay in once you get to that level so I’ve been learning over the last year how important staying power is.”
“With my medical background, AutoNation thought I’d be a good fit to promote this [Cure Bowl]. I feel very lucky and it’s a cool role to have. I know people who have breast cancer and I’ve been exposed to people [while working] on the medical side as well. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a spokesperson and use the racing to broadcast what we need to do for awareness. My seeing this from all these different sides is very unique and I’m fortunate to be in a position to do this.”
Staropoli’s Toyota will be completely “pinked out” for both K&N races and an appearance at the Dec. 19 AutoNation Cure Bowl college football game in Orlando, Florida — a unique fundraising effort directing net proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The company has been a longtime supporter of cancer research and the search for cures, contributing more than $2 million while previously working with IndyCar driver Ryan Hunter-Reay and his foundation. This is the first time that AutoNation has directed its resources to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and has committed $1 million to the organization.
Staropoli’s unique background as a medical student along with his success in spite of sporadic and limited opportunity in a race car was the perfect prescription for AutoNation as well.
The AutoNation Cure Bowl that Staropoli is promoting is part of a large, national initiative called, “Drive Pink.” The company will be placing “Drive Pink” license plate frames on all the cars it sells and match customer donations to the BCRF up to $10 on service calls and $100 on car sales as part of its $1 million commitment.
Having a presence in NASCAR just made sense.
“Patrick is this young guy who wants to be a doctor and is a car racer, so talk about someone who is perfect,” said AutoNation’s Chief Marketing Officer Marc Cannon.
“He is smart, charming, dedicated and wants to make a difference in life.
“I don’t know how many people are willing to say, ‘I’ll do everything pink, you name it’ But he did.
“He is going to be a great spokesman for racing and for breast cancer research.”
Thursday’s UNOH 100 K&N Pro Series East race marks the first NASCAR competition for Staropoli since a K&N Pro Series West race in May of 2014 at Iowa Speedway, where he won the pole and finished third. Staropoli picked up his first win in his previous start, that March at Irwindale Speedway in California.
Staropoli, who got his first big break by winning a national talent search, the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge, has three top-five finishes in four career K&N Pro Series West Series starts and two top-10s in three K&N Pro Series East Series starts.
Just last weekend, he won the pole position and finished second in a late model race in St. Petersburg, Florida.
While juggling his medical studies and pursuit of a race funding, Staropoli passed his medical board exam in June and is in the middle of clinical rotations including time in cardiology, internal medicine and ophthalmology. He scheduled a break in his schooling to be able to compete in these two K&N races, then returns to pick up a rotation in gynecology.
Staropoli is a little more than a year away from becoming NASCAR’s only driver with an MD following his name. And he is committed to both pursuits, which makes this AutoNation Cure Bowl sponsorship a textbook opportunity. And one, Staropoli hopes to parlay into more.
“I had to keep things in perspective the whole time [I was out of the drivers seat] knowing if the right opportunity did line up again, I could go out and be successful,” Staropoli said. “I think that was the biggest lesson I learned: I can get to this level and perform and get to Victory Lane. Just having that confidence that being in right place with the right people that I could succeed that’s what drives you when you’re out of the seat.
“I’ve been back in school since January so juggling school and the racing stuff pretty much for nine months. Every second I get, whether its when I’m done with rounds at the hospital or off work, I’ve been trying to do everything I can to put a deal together.
“It’s a huge relief to see all that work come together and I cannot wait to get on track.”