Driving toward the future
This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Patrick Staropoli ’12 has a lot of drive. In four years at Harvard College, hard work and determination propelled him to a 3.94 grade point average and earned him a place in Phi Beta Kappa, as well as in the lab of leading Harvard Medical School (HMS) neuroscientist Robert Stickgold. But when folks in Staropoli’s home state of Florida talk about his drive, they’re usually not referring to his academic achievements. “I race super late-model cars,” says the Fort Lauderdale native. “If you were to rank my touring series, we’d probably be about two steps lower than NASCAR. It’s definitely at a professional level. A lot of NASCAR teams have development teams here to bring up the next generation of drivers.” Staropoli doesn’t just race; he wins. Since joining the super late-model series, the Mather House resident has won...