Patrick Stapler of Huntsville, AL drives the #23A 1965 Mustang Hardtop. He is a mechanical engineer for Teledyne Brown Engineering Space Programs. Patrick has been involved with Mustangs and around racing Mustangs since he was seven years old, riding around in his uncle’s 1966 Mustang Hardtop.

Patrick attended his first vintage race as a spectator at the Mid-America Shelby meet in 2018. He knew he always wanted to participate in vintage racing, but after securing a ride in a fellow racer’s car, the desire was set ablaze. Patrick had purchased his car as a rolling chassis under a tarp on the side of the road not far from his house in 2015. Late 2019 and early 2020, Patrick began transforming his car into the vintage racer it is and began competing in open-track events early 2021.

Patrick joined Heartland Vintage Racing soon thereafter, completed the vintage race school and additional rookie requirements to earn his race license, and began racing with HVR in 2022. He currently serves as a board member at large and chairs the HVR Rules Committee.