Patrick Staropoli Bio
Patrick Charles Staropoli (born November 10, 1989) is an American retina surgeon and professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing, the NASCAR Truck Series for the No. 84 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Cook Racing Technologies, and the ARCA Menards Series for the No. 25 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. Born and raised in Plantation, Florida, Staropoli balances a medical career with periodic NASCAR competition across multiple national series.
Early Life and Background
Staropoli was born on November 10, 1989, in Plantation, Florida, where he was raised. He is the son of Nick Staropoli Jr. and Arlene Staropoli, and he grew up alongside a sister named Devon. Both his father and grandfather were past racers, and Staropoli attended races from as young as six months old, an environment that sparked his lifelong interest in motorsports.
He was educated at Plantation High School, where he graduated in 2008 as the valedictorian of his class. While in high school, he served as vice president of the school’s National Honor Society branch, competed in rocket competitions, and volunteered as a spokesman for an anti-drugs organization. After high school, Staropoli attended Harvard University, initially majoring in engineering with hopes of becoming a team engineer in NASCAR or Formula One. He later switched to neurobiology during his sophomore year and graduated from Harvard in 2012 with summa cum laude honors.
Path to NASCAR
Staropoli began racing at age 13 in go-karts in Naples, Florida, before moving into the Pure Stocks division and eventually the Super Late Models division for his family’s race team. In 2013, he was invited to compete in the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge, a reality television show organized by Michael Waltrip Racing. Out of 10 finalists, Staropoli won the competition, earning a part-time ride in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for Bill McAnally Racing. He made his series debut later that year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at Spokane, finishing in fifth.
The following year, Staropoli signed a five-race deal with Bill McAnally Racing to compete in both the East and West divisions. In March 2014, he earned his first victory in the West Series at Irwindale. He finished that West Series season with one win and one additional top five, and he added three top tens in the East Series, highlighted by a best finish of sixth at Bristol.
Patrick Staropoli Career
Early Career (2013-2015)
Staropoli’s national stock car career began in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2013, where he debuted with Bill McAnally Racing after winning the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge. He returned to Bill McAnally for a five-race deal in 2014, splitting his season between the East and West divisions and capturing his first national win at Irwindale in the West Series. These early results established him as a competitive late model prospect.
Starting in 2015, Staropoli faced a growing conflict between his medical studies at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and his racing career. After a sponsorship deal failed to materialize in the winter of 2015, he took a brief hiatus from NASCAR to focus on medical school. He did make his debut in the ARCA Racing Series at Daytona in February for Empire Racing, and he returned later that September for Bill McAnally, finishing with retirements at both Richmond and Dover.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Debut (2016)
In 2016, Staropoli made his NASCAR national series debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing 31st in a partnership entry between Young’s Motorsports and SS-Green Light Racing. The start marked his only Truck Series appearance of that season. After 2016, he stepped out of NASCAR national series competition to focus on completing his medical degree, though he continued racing periodically in late model and modified divisions through 2024.
2025 Return to NASCAR
After a nine-year absence from NASCAR, Staropoli returned to national series competition in 2025 with a part-time schedule across multiple series. He made his season debut in the ARCA Menards Series at Phoenix on March 7 for Venturini Motorsports, where he finished eighth after recovering from an early spin. Three weeks later, he made his first Truck Series start in over nine seasons at Martinsville, finishing 20th in a Cook Racing Technologies entry.
The day after his Truck Series return at Martinsville, Staropoli made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the same track in an entry for Sam Hunt Racing, finishing 16th. He continued running part-time schedules in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the Truck Series, and the Xfinity Series throughout the 2025 season. According to verified records, he earned zero wins, zero top tens, and zero poles in his Xfinity Series starts, and he finished 43rd in the 2025 Xfinity Series standings.
Big Machine Racing Era (2026-Present)
Staropoli moved up full-time to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Xfinity Series) for 2026, signing with Big Machine Racing on December 23, 2025. The deal marked his first full-time national NASCAR ride and reflected his long-term commitment to balancing medicine with professional stock car racing. His 2026 schedule with Big Machine Racing represents the next chapter in his part-time and now full-time national series career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Staropoli’s late model background gives him a strong baseline in short-track and intermediate track racing, where tire management and consistent lap times are critical. He has shown a knack for recovering from on-track incidents, as seen in his 2025 ARCA opener at Phoenix, where he charged back to eighth after a spin. His dual career as a retina surgeon has been credited by Staropoli himself with sharpening the focus and decision-making skills that translate directly to the cockpit.
Notable Races and Milestones
Staropoli’s signature early moment came with his 2014 ARCA Menards Series West victory at Irwindale, his first win in a NASCAR-sanctioned national series. His 2025 Martinsville weekend also stood out, as he logged his first Truck Series start in nine years and his Xfinity Series debut in back-to-back days. His full-time 2026 signing with Big Machine Racing ranks as the biggest career milestone to date.
Patrick Staropoli Career Wins
Staropoli has recorded one verified win in a NASCAR-sanctioned regional series, the 2014 NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Irwindale in the ARCA Menards Series West. He also collected five top tens and one pole in that West Series career, along with four top tens in the ARCA Menards Series East, three top tens in the ARCA Menards Series, and zero top tens across his national Xfinity and Truck Series starts.
ARCA Menards Series West Highlights
Staropoli’s most decorated series remains the ARCA Menards Series West, where he made his debut at the 2013 Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Spokane and earned his first and only series win at Irwindale in 2014. His best series finish was 29th in 2014, and his most recent start came at the 2025 General Tire 150 at Phoenix. He finished that career with one win, five top tens, and one pole, per verified records.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of the ARCA Menards Series West win, Staropoli has notched multiple top-ten finishes in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series. He made his ARCA Menards Series debut at the 2015 Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona and his East Series debut at the 2014 New Smyrna 150. His best ARCA Menards Series finish was 20th in 2025, and his best East Series result was 28th in 2014.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCA Menards Series West | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Patrick Staropoli Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Staropoli is the son of Nick Staropoli Jr. and Arlene Staropoli, and he has a sister named Devon. Both his father and grandfather were past racers, and the family operated a race team that competed in the Super Late Models division. Staropoli has cited a near-fatal racing accident involving his father at Hialeah Speedway in 2001 as a formative experience that helped steer him toward a medical career.
Personal Life
Outside of racing, Staropoli works as a retina surgeon at the Retina Consultants of Texas. He graduated from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami in 2017 with his MD. In 2024, he launched Driving to Fight Blindness, an awareness campaign focused on retinal diseases. In 2010, Staropoli was diagnosed with coeliac disease, and he has cited Jeff Gordon as his favorite driver.
2025 Season Performance
Staropoli’s 2025 season marked his return to NASCAR national series competition after a nine-year absence. He ran a part-time slate across the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His strongest verified national result was a 20th-place Truck Series finish at Martinsville in an entry for Cook Racing Technologies, paired with a 16th-place Xfinity Series debut at the same track for Sam Hunt Racing.
He opened the ARCA Menards Series season at Phoenix with Venturini Motorsports and finished eighth after recovering from a spin, and he closed the year with a 43rd-place finish in the final Xfinity Series standings. According to verified data, he recorded zero wins, zero top tens, and zero poles in his Xfinity Series and Truck Series campaigns, while adding multiple top tens in the ARCA regional divisions. The full-time move to Big Machine Racing for 2026 was announced on December 23, 2025, setting the stage for his first full national season.
