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Social Media Sensation Olivia Dunne Steals Show At NASCAR Race, Hangs Out With Chase Elliott
LSU’s star gymnast and social media influencer hung out with the Hendrick Motorsports wheelman as part of her VIP event invitation to Nashville Superspeedway.
It’s a bird; it’s a plane; no, it’s Louisiana State University’s star gymnast-turned-social media influencer Olivia Dunne, melting hearts right and left during her visit to Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee for the NASCAR Cup Series’ Ally 400.
As a special invitee for NASCAR’s thrilling event in Music City, Dunne sent pulses racing faster than any Next Gen car ever could. While snapping a dizzying amount of photos, she engaged with fans as she soaked up the event’s energetic atmosphere before donning a radio headset and heading into Ryan Blaney’s pit box for a behind-the-scenes look at all the high-octane action of a race in NASCAR’s elite Cup Series. While Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain may have won the race and slick Gibson guitar, it was Dunne who stole the show, especially after spending considerable time after the race, hanging out with Cup Series champion and NASCAR’s most popular driver, Chase Elliott.
Who is Olivia Dunne?
As long as you’re not some amoeba-shaped life form from planet Klaxar, chances are you’ve heard about Olivia Dunne.
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“Livvy” as she’s known by her legions of adoring fans is a collegiate gymnast from LSU who specializes in the uneven bars. During her time at LSU, Dunne has skyrocketed to global superstardom through her Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) partnerships that are now legal for college athletes to pursue, leading to an explosion of lucrative deals and stardom for the likes of Dunne and college basketball players-turned-WWE hopefuls the Cavinder Twins. Dunne boasts nearly 12 million followers on Instagram and TikTok combined, and has raked in major brand deals with companies like Vuori. Most recently, Dunne lived out her dream by appearing in Sports Illustrated’s renowned swimsuit issue.
Dunne spent some time with Elliott before the race and who knows, maybe that brought him some luck, as he finished fourth behind Chastain, Martin Truex Jr., and Denny Hamlin. It was his fourth top-five finish in 10 races this season (after missing some time following a snowboarding accident.)
Dunne also posed with some U.S. military members and seemed to enjoy herself at her first-ever NASCAR race. Was it enough fun to lure her back for an encore? Time will tell.
