Photo note: Cover image is of Chase Elliott with last year's fire suit designer, Alex C.
CONCORD, N.C. – While Chase Elliott sports many paint schemes throughout the NASCAR Cup Series season, few if any mean more than the one he’ll drive at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September.
Simply put, it’s a car with a cause.
For the eighth straight year, the Dawsonville, Ga. native will pilot a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and will don a driver’s suit designed by two cancer patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The “DESIG9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration, a result of a partnership between the Chase Elliott Foundation, Hendrick Motorsports and NAPA has raised and donated nearly $400,000 over the first seven years.
The designs were released on Tuesday and will be driven and worn at the Cup Series playoff race at Atlanta on Sept. 8. Fans can enter an online sweepstakes fundraiser to win part of Elliott’s race-worn Atlanta uniform, or a VIP race day meet and greet experience with Chase, with donations benefitting the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s.
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Fans can visit desi9ntodrive.org to enter and learn more. The sweepstakes starts Aug. 13 and will last nearly two months, closing on Oct. 9.
“The DESI9N TO DRIVE schemes are my favorite of the year and I always look forward to spending time with the patients before the race and hearing their stories and feeling their love for life,” Elliott said. “Children's Healthcare of Atlanta does so much good for the local community and continues to expand their facilities. To partner at my home track with Atlanta-based NAPA makes this even more special.”
The DESI9N TO DRIVE program accepted dozens of submissions from patients at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Childrens with 11-year-old Gavyn Giansiracusa and 13-year-old Logan Lee sketching the selected designs.
Giansiracusa was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022 and underwent surgery, radiation and chemo treatments for the next year. His red, white and blue celebration design, depicted on Elliott’s Alpinestars racing shoes and on the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet, showcases his love for music, fireworks and cake. It also features a fighter jet, sharing a passion for aviation with Elliott.
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Lee is now cancer free after being diagnosed with Leukemia in 2023. His design is depicted on Elliott’s Alpinestars racing suit and Arai helmet. It also features music, fireworks and cake with a red, white and blue colored theme.
“Partnering with Chase and his impactful foundation for another year to support Children’s is an honor,” Emily Schneider, Senior Director of Marketing at NAPA, said. “We can’t wait to see the designs on the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet and look forward to positive impact for Children’s following this year’s sweepstakes.”
Also in September, Children’s will unveil a state-of-the-art pediatric hospital in Atlanta. The Arthur M. Blank Hospital, a 2-million-square-foot facility set to open on Sept. 29, will become one of the largest children’s hospitals in America and serve as the new home of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s.
September is also Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease Awareness month.
“Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is thankful to collaborate with the Chase Elliott Foundation for the eighth year of DESI9N TO DRIVE,” Beth Buursema, Director of Corporate and Community Giving, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, said. “We are very excited that two of our patients will have the chance to show off their creativity at an event that they will never forget. The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is one of the largest pediatric cancer and blood disorders programs in the nation, caring for more than 8,900 pediatric patients every year. This continued collaboration will bring hope to our patients while furthering our mission of making kids better today and healthier tomorrow.”
Catch the unique colors in action at Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. ET with coverage on USA Network, PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
