Valvoline, Hendrick Motorsports, and Blood Cancer United are partnering once again in 2026 to put a special paint scheme on-track this Fall in a NASCAR Cup Series event, the trio of companies jointly announced on Monday.
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, will be running a specially designed paint scheme in a NASCAR Cup Series event during The Chase, which was designed for this specific occasion by 12-year-old blood cancer survivor Palmer Goforth.
“When I was in treatment, it was during COVID, so my family couldn’t really visit the hospital, so me and my brother would get on FaceTime and we would watch a YouTube video about drawing, and then we would draw together and then we would show each other,” Palmer said. “I love graphics and art because that was something that helped me get through treatment.
Palmer, upon first getting sick, was treated for appendicitis, but when the surgeon removed his appendix, he returned with some more difficult news for the Goforth family, saying that they found some concerning lymph nodes, and upon further testing, found out that it was cancer.
Valvoline Global, as part of an ongoing campaign working with Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), invited Palmer to design the No. 24 Valvoline / Blood Cancer United Chevrolet and share his story.
“The race car I’m designing will be driven by William Byron,” Palmer said. “It’s Miami Beach-themed, like neon pink and purple. Thousands and thousands and thousands of people are going to see my car on the tracks; it’s going to be awesome.”
On Monday, August 31, Hendrick Motorsports, Valvoline Global, and William Byron officially unveiled the scheme that Palmer designed, in front of Palmer, for the opportunity of a lifetime.
“It sounds like something Palmer could have dreamed up,” said his mother, Brittney. “Like if he could have checked all the boxes on an opportunity, it would have been something to do with sports, something to do with art, and something to do with palm trees. Valvoline Global gives us an opportunity like this, and you think, well, it wasn’t for nothing; he’s going to get to share his story, he’s going to change someone’s life, and no, we wouldn’t have chosen this journey, but man, it’s a really cool place we’ve landed.”
At the young age of 12, Palmer has a strong head on his shoulders and believes that although the trials were tough and the fight was hard, he had cancer for a reason – so that he could impact the lives of several other children going through the same fight.
“I didn’t have cancer for no reason,” Palmer said. “I had cancer so I could impact others’ lives and then give joy.”
