Good vision is crucial for safe driving, especially when you’re speeding around a track at nearly 200 mph. Mike DiPasquale reports on how a local NASCAR driver merges his eye care expertise with his passion for racing.
Patrick Staropoli, from Plantation, is known as “Dr. Speed” whether he’s in the clinic or at the racetrack.
“At the track, people ask about my work in surgery and the clinic. And in the clinic, patients want to know how the races went,” Patrick shared.
Staropoli juggles being a professional NASCAR driver and a practicing eye surgeon.
His love for cars started young—beginning with go-karts and evolving into short track racing across Florida in his twenties.
A decade ago, he began medical school at the University of Miami and later completed his ophthalmology degree at Harvard.
Today, Patrick balances careers in both medicine and motorsports.
“It takes a lot of time management and support from people on both sides who want to see me thrive. It’s truly a team effort,” he said.
He competes in three out of the four major NASCAR series, with 15 races scheduled this season. His ultimate dream is to become a full-time driver in the Cup Series.
Patrick believes his dual careers enhance each other—being a doctor helps his driving and vice versa.
He explained that both surgery and racing demand a steady, smooth touch—whether it’s on surgical tools or car controls.
Even at the racetrack, Patrick often finds himself offering eye care advice to fellow drivers.
“Sometimes a driver from another team will ask me to check something on their eye,” he said. “In return, I might ask to peek at their racecar setup notes—it’s a kind of barter system.”
Patrick enjoys talking about medicine and uses his racing career to raise awareness for medical issues. He often finds himself in unique conversations with his crew about topics most drivers wouldn’t discuss.
He recently finished fourth in the ARCA 125 at Rockingham and is preparing to race at Talladega—NASCAR’s largest and most chaotic track—for the first time this coming Saturday.
