ATLANTA, Ga. – Chase Elliott will be wearing specially designed shoes this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Even more special, though, are the designers behind the shoes: Patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Hospital.
Elliott visited those patients and their families on Thursday at the Atlanta, Georgia-based hospital and also unveiled the winning shoe designs that he and his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates will sport this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Patients from the hospital submitted designs through the "DESI9N TO DRIVE" program and the drivers chose the five best designs (Elliott has two pairs of shoes) to be imprinted on their Alpinestars.
RELATED: See the "Desi9n to Drive" racing shoes“It was a great program last year that raised some good money for the hospital here at Children’s and was able to get enough traction to be able to do it again and I feel like it’s good for everybody …” Elliott said. “It’s a great cause and something easy, too, that everybody can get behind and they get to wear a cool pair of shoes, so it’s a win-win.”
Thursday also marked the first time the young patients had seen their designs come to life on the shoes. They stood up front with Elliott as he pulled back the black draping over them.
“I designed the sea,” 7-year-old Emma Anderson, whose nautical vision was chosen to be printed on one pair of Elliott’s shoes, told NASCAR.com. “… Because we like going to the beach and I go there for my birthday every year.”
Anderson said Elliott is “the only one” she and her family can root for -- and they’ll get the chance to cheer him on first-hand, too, as the patients will join Elliott at the race track for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“I think a lot of times you often forget how blessed you are and how lucky we are to get to do some of the things that we do,” Elliott said. “So to be able to come and if you can just make one person’s day -- or make half their day -- to me is a win and I hope that we can do that some of the kids here and their families.
“Letting them design something and seeing it come to life and then seeing it actually be used, I think is pretty cool and from their perspective, I think it is, too. … I feel like it’s just a good opportunity to get these families out to the race and enjoy a fun weekend and get away and spend some time there.”
This marks the second year that the Chase Elliott Foundation has implemented this program, which raised over $30,000 last year. Like last year, several partners will be matching the highest auction bid of Elliott shoes, including NAPA AUTO PARTS, Mountain Dew, Hooters, SunEnergy1, Kelley Blue Book, Valvoline, TriMaxx Graphics and Hendrick Motorsports.
MORE: See Elliott's 2017 shoes designed by kidsElliott also spent time with the children and their families before and after the shoes unveiling, and participated in a question-and-answer session.
“How fast is too fast?” one of the winning patient designers Lucas Hunter asked.
“No such thing,” Elliott said with a smile.
“You are,” she said, looking at Elliott.
The impact that Elliott has on the children at the hospital is evident; children walked away holding autographed T-Shirts and die casts, with selfies with their favorite driver on their phones.
More importantly, they left with special memories.
“We are so grateful to Chase Elliott and the Chase Elliott Foundation for all that they do to support our patients and their families,” Beth Buursema, director of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation and External Affairs, told NASCAR.com. “I think what’s great about this shoe design contest is Chase not only helps he and his teammates pick these shoes they can wear for the race, but Chase is involved himself. He comes to visit the patients, he is so supportive of all the things that we do and encouraging them to get better in their battles that they’re dealing with.
“And we don’t see that all the time, so we’re very grateful to Chase and all that he does for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.”
One patient in particular, made a special connection with Elliott: Four-year-old Jason, who goes by Brantley, was upset that medical procedures kept him from making Elliott’s appearance downstairs.
“Do you like cars?” Elliott said, crouching beside his bed. “It can hang out with your teddy bear.”
A nurse brought up a side table that Brantley could use as the “track” and he began wheeling the mini Elliott die cast around in left turns.
“We’ll have to get you some more cars so you can race here on this table,” Elliott said.
Several minutes after the two had said their goodbyes, Brantley was still waving at the door.
The visit may have been over, but for those children, the impact continues.