Chase Elliott’s “Desi9n to Drive” Returns for Milestone 10th Year at Atlanta
The Chase Elliott Foundation’s “Desi9n to Drive” program rolls back onto the track tonight, July 12, 2026, as Elliott competes in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event marks the 10th consecutive year of the charity initiative, a decade-long collaboration between the Chase Elliott Foundation, NAPA Auto Parts, Hendrick Motorsports, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s).
Since its inception, the program has raised more than $545,500 to support pediatric care — a total built over nine years of fan support and race-weekend fundraising.
A Baseball-Themed Livery, Designed by Two Young Patients
This year’s No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet carries a special baseball-themed design, with Elliott’s full Alpinestars racing uniform matching the scheme. The artwork wasn’t dreamed up by a design team — it was co-imagined and sketched by two pediatric patients at Children’s: 8-year-old Maximus Peace, who lives with Type 1 diabetes, and 9-year-old Noelle Springer, who is currently fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
The livery had its debut earlier this summer, unveiled alongside its young designers during an Atlanta Braves game at Truist Park.
A Hometown Advantage
Elliott, a Dawsonville, Georgia native, heads into tonight’s race with more than sentimental ties to Atlanta. He’s the defending winner of the track’s summer night race and holds one of the strongest statistical records among active drivers on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s reconfigured drafting layout — giving fans in the stands and at home extra reason to watch closely.
How Fans Can Get Involved
Supporters can contribute to the campaign directly through the official Desi9n to Drive website in two ways:
- Pre-order an autographed No. 9 Desi9n to Drive die-cast model.
- Enter the online sweepstakes, which closes tomorrow, July 13, 2026. One lucky donor will win a fly-away race weekend trip for two to meet Chase Elliott.
With a decade of fundraising behind it and a car designed by two of the very kids the program supports, tonight’s race at Atlanta carries a little extra weight for Elliott and the No. 9 team.