Sports

The story behind Chase Elliott’s car art in ‘unbelievable’ Atlanta win

11-year-old cancer patient Rhealynn Mills and family are ‘over the moon’ to be in NASCAR victory lane with the Georgia driver.
Rhealynn Mills, 11, talks with NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott before the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Hampton. Mills, a cancer patient at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, recently won a contest for her artwork to appear on Elliott's car. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
Rhealynn Mills, 11, talks with NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott before the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Hampton. Mills, a cancer patient at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, recently won a contest for her artwork to appear on Elliott's car. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
June 30, 2025

Chase Elliott’s NASCAR Cup Series victory on Saturday sparked a unique celebration in front of a roaring crowd at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton.

The Dawsonville native secured the win at his home track with a last-lap pass, piloting a car with a paint scheme designed by 11-year-old Rhealynn Mills, a cancer patient at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

ExplorePHOTOS: Quaker State 400 key race in NASCAR season

Mills and her family, who are from Thomasville, joined Elliott and his team on the track during his postrace interview broadcast to a national audience.

“Lifetime memories made,” Revana Mills, Rhealynn’s mother, said later. “We are all over the moon.”

Typically reserved, Elliott’s celebration included a trip into the grandstands to high-five fans.

“I’ve never in my life, this is unbelievable … something I’ll never forget,” he said after his 20th career Cup Series win.

Read the full story behind Elliott’s yearslong program with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Mills’ battle with cancer: Chase Elliott’s ties to kids with cancer go beyond race car paint scheme.

About the Author

Fletcher Page is Athens bureau chief covering northeast Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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