The Chase Elliott Foundation is extending its long-standing relationship with NAPA Auto Parts and Hendrick Motorsports to bring the “DESI9N TO DRIVE” program back for a 10th consecutive year. Launched in 2017, the foundation has raised and donated over half a million dollars ($545,500) to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, will have his race car and uniform fully decked out, from head-to-toe, in designs imagined by two pediatric patients at Children’s for the July 12 NASCAR Cup Series event at EchoPark Speedway.
Fans can enter an online sweepstakes fundraiser to win a fly-away race weekend trip for two to meet Elliott, NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, with donation proceeds benefitting Children’s.
Last year, while piloting the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro designed by 12-year-old Rhealynn Mills, a pediatric patient at Children’s, Elliott went to Victory Lane at EchoPark Speedway, capturing the victory in the Quicker State 400 – a triumph that allowed Rhealynn to celebrate with Chase and the entire No. 9 team on the frontstretch following the race, on live TV.
“The DESI9N TO DRIVE race weekend is one of my favorites of the season,” said Chase Elliott, a native of Dawsonville, Georgia. “It was really unbelievable to win the Atlanta Night Race last year at my home track in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet in the ninth year of doing this program with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Hopefully, we can defend our race title for NAPA and get back to Victory Lane and bring more awareness to the patient stories at Children’s.”
This year’s DESI9N TO DRIVE program received dozens of sports and recreation-themed artwork submissions from patients at Children’s. The selected artwork sketches of two patients – 8-year-old Maximus Peace and 9-year-old Noelle Springer – have been combined into a Baseball-themed design that will serve as the paint scheme and driver uniform look for the event.
Maximus was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of two and is insulin dependent. Despite dealing with the chronic disease on a daily basis, he enjoys just being a normal kid, playing baseball, playing his piano, and playing with his dogs. Maximus has a very positive attitude towards life and exhibits a vibrant personality, which shows as he performs in stage plays and commercials.
Noelle was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at the age of five. After many rounds of treatment, including chemotherapy, she ran the end of treatment bell over a year ago. Like Maximus, Noelle also exhibits a glowing, can-do approach to life. She enjoys spending time with her older sisters Abby and Claire.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Chase and his foundation once again in support of the remarkable, life-changing work the team at Children’s undertakes on a daily basis,” said Katherine Wooten, Director of Partnerships at NAPA. “It’s an honor to have the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy wear this year’s special livery and drive awareness for a truly worthy cause.”
The paint scheme was officially unveiled on June 3 at the Atlanta Braves home game. Elliott and the two patients unveiled the scheme at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Park, the 30,000-square-foot dedicated family space located on Truist Park’s left field plaza. Pieces of the race uniform will be revealed over the next few weeks before the event.
“DESI9N TO DRIVE is more than a design content, it is an opportunity for our patients to see their imagination, resilience and creativity celebrated on a national stage,” said Beth Buursema, Director of Corporate and Community Giving at Children’s. “Through DESI9N TO DRIVE, our patients, Maximum and Noelle, are sharing their stories through their artwork and experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The Children’s family is grateful to the Chase Elliott Foundation for helping make those dreams a reality.”
Fans can go to Desi9nToDrive.org to learn more about the Sweepstakes, which opens June 3 and closes on July 13.
