Returns to Home Track to Benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
The Chase Elliott Foundation is partnering again with NAPA and Hendrick Motorsports in a return to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the seventh edition of its “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s). Elliott's race car and race uniform, from head to toe, will feature designs by two cancer patients at Children's for the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, July 9.
“I’m excited for the return of the DESI9N TO DRIVE program to my home track since it really shines a light on the positive impact Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has on the region,” said Elliott, a Dawsonville, Ga. native. “With the race being run at night, I hope it creates an even greater atmosphere than years past. I can’t wait for everyone to see these summer nights-themed designs come to life at the race track.”
This year's DESI9N TO DRIVE program received dozens of submissions from patients at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's. The selected designs were sketched by 11-year-old Alex Corbin and 13-year-old Kayleb Duran-Rodriguez.
After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022, Alex went through surgeries, radiation, chemo, MRI tests, therapy, and now wears hearing aids due to side effects of chemo treatments. His design shows his love for smores on warm summer nights and will be depicted on Elliott’s Alpinestars racing suit, gloves, shoes, and Arai helmet.
Kayleb, diagnosed with Leukemia in 2020, designed Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to show his love for campfires with friends and family.
“We are pleased to support this wonderful campaign and the kids at Children's for another year,” said Marti Walsh, vice president of marketing, NAPA. “We’re so proud of our longstanding relationship with the Chase Elliott Foundation and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and are excited to see the impact this event has on the greater Atlanta community every year.”
#Desi9nToDrive returns to @atlmotorspdwy for the Night Race on July 9 with a summer nights theme on my @thenapanetwork car and race uniform. Help me raise funding to benefit @childrensatl starting today at https://t.co/KmUbFfPJfv! pic.twitter.com/vBVukQUTIz
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) June 14, 2023
The DESI9N TO DRIVE program has raised and donated over $350,000 to Children’s over its first six years.
Elliott's racing uniform and a VIP race experience are being auctioned off via The NASCAR Foundation’s auction page on eBay beginning Wednesday, July 5, and closing Wednesday, July 12, following the Atlanta race.
New for this year is the ability for fans to donate directly to the fundraising campaign starting today at desi9ntodrive.org.
All auction proceeds will go to the Chase Elliott Foundation to benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s. In addition, a portion of the proceeds of each die-cast sold of the specially-designed race car will be donated with the auction proceeds and online donations.
“Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is thankful to collaborate with the Chase Elliott Foundation for the seventh year of DESI9N TO DRIVE,” said Beth Buursema, senior development director at the Children's Foundation. “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.”
