Rajah Caruth Bio
Rajah Kirby Caruth (born June 11, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro SS for JR Motorsports and the No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Jordan Anderson Racing. A graduate of Winston-Salem State University with a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management, Caruth is widely recognized as one of the most prominent young drivers advancing diversity in the sport.
Caruth gained national attention for becoming one of the few African-American drivers to win in one of NASCAR’s three national series, following in the footsteps of Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace. Off the track, he is active with Young Minority Mentorship in Motorsports, working to broaden access for underrepresented drivers in the sport.
Early Life and Background
Rajah Kirby Caruth was born on June 11, 2002, in Atlanta, Georgia, to a Vincentian father and a Vincentian-Barbadian mother. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and later Washington, D.C., where his parents supported his growing interest in motorsports. The family environment, combined with exposure to popular racing media, helped shape his early passion for cars.
Caruth has often credited the Disney Pixar film Cars with sparking his dream of becoming a racing driver. When he was twelve, his parents surprised him with a trip to a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway in September, an experience that deepened his commitment to the sport. He later attended the School Without Walls High School in Washington, D.C., a magnet school known for its humanities programs, graduating in 2020.
Path to NASCAR
Caruth’s professional path began in 2018 when he and his family fundraised to purchase an iRacing simulator. After turning sixteen on June 11, he began competing virtually in the eNASCAR Ignite Series, balancing school, basketball, and a summer job. His virtual performances caught the attention of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which gave him the chance to race a legends car at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2019. That rookie season produced two top-ten finishes and a thirteenth-place result in the Semi-Pro points standings.
Building on that progress, Caruth moved to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in 2020 and earned his first career late model victory at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. The following year, he added late model wins at Hickory Motor Speedway and, on May 1, 2021, became the first African-American driver to win at Tri-County Motor Speedway. These results drew the attention of Rev Racing, which set the stage for his move into the ARCA Menards Series ladder and ultimately into NASCAR’s national divisions.
Rajah Caruth Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Caruth’s first national exposure came through Rev Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2021, where he finished third in the standings with two top-fives and three top-tens. He also made his ARCA Menards Series debut at the 2021 Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa Speedway, starting twelfth and finishing ninth. Parallel to his ARCA schedule, he continued to rack up late model wins across the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, including a historic victory at Tri-County Motor Speedway.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2021–2022)
On August 30, 2021, Caruth announced plans to run full-time in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series with Rev Racing. He earned his best ARCA finish of second at the 2022 Dutch Boy 150 and closed the season with eight top-fives, fourteen top-tens, and a third-place result in the final standings. He also made a single ARCA Menards Series West start in 2021, finishing eighth, and a fourth-place run in the 2022 General Tire 150. These performances established him as one of the top rising prospects in the ARCA ladder.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut (2022–2023)
Caruth made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on April 2, 2022, at Richmond Raceway with Alpha Prime Racing, starting 22nd and finishing 24th. His 2022 schedule included a best finish of twelfth at Martinsville Speedway, where he dodged several incidents in a crash-filled race. In 2023, he returned to Alpha Prime Racing for another partial season and closed the year with a strong run at Phoenix Raceway in the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, finishing fourteenth after running inside the top ten for much of the race.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2022–2024)
Caruth made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on May 31, 2022, at World Wide Technology Raceway with Spire Motorsports, originally scored tenth. In 2023, he moved to GMS Racing’s No. 24 truck, recording a career-best sixth at Darlington Raceway and finishing sixteenth in the final standings, fourth in Rookie of the Year.
In 2024, he returned to Spire Motorsports full-time in the No. 71 truck, with HendrickCars.com sponsoring all 23 races. At Las Vegas, Caruth scored his first career national series victory, becoming only the third African-American driver to win in one of NASCAR’s three national series, joining Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace. He advanced into the playoffs, reached the Round of 8, finished seventh in points, and was named NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver.
Caruth returned to Spire Motorsports in 2025 and opened the new season with a victory at Nashville, later adding the 2025 Rackley Roofing 200 to his Truck Series win list. He reached the playoffs for a second consecutive year and was eliminated in the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway.
JR Motorsports Era (2026–Present)
On October 21, 2025, JR Motorsports announced that Caruth would drive its No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro SS part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026. The following day, Caruth confirmed on a Twitch livestream that he will also serve as the full-time driver of the No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Jordan Anderson Racing, splitting the season between both organizations. The move marks his transition into the second tier of NASCAR’s national tour as a multi-team driver.
Driving Style and Strengths
Caruth is regarded as a smooth, patient racer with strong pace on intermediate ovals and a steady hand in long runs. He has shown the ability to capitalize on late-race restarts and has benefited from working closely with Bubba Wallace, who serves as a mentor during race weekends. His technical preparation, sharpened through the Drive for Diversity program and ARCA development, has allowed him to deliver consistent top-ten and top-fifteen runs in the Truck Series.
Notable Races and Milestones
Caruth’s signature win came at Las Vegas in 2024, a milestone victory that placed him alongside Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace in NASCAR history. Other defining moments include his third-place run in the 2024 Truck Series opener at Daytona, his breakthrough Truck Series victory at Nashville in 2025, and his 2024 Most Popular Driver award. He was also selected to ride on NASCAR’s float in the 2023 Rose Parade alongside Richard Petty.
Rajah Caruth Career Wins
Across his stock car career, Caruth has recorded late model victories in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and multiple wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His first national series victory came in 2024 at Las Vegas, and he has since added additional Truck Series wins, including Nashville and the 2025 Rackley Roofing 200.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Caruth’s first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory came in 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a watershed moment that made him the third African-American winner in NASCAR national series history. He added a Nashville win in 2025 and the 2025 Rackley Roofing 200, advancing to the playoffs in both seasons and reaching the Round of 8 each year. He was named NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver for 2024–2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Caruth’s first career late model victory came in 2020 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, followed by additional wins at Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway in 2021, where he became the first African-American winner in that track’s history. In ARCA, he finished third in the 2021 East standings and third again in the 2022 main series standings, posting a runner-up finish at the 2022 Dutch Boy 150.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 3 | — | — |
Rajah Caruth Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Caruth was born to Roger Caruth, his father, and Samantha Caruth, his mother. His Vincentian and Vincentian-Barbadian heritage connects him to the Caribbean, and he has spoken openly about the role his parents played in funding his early iRacing simulator and supporting his racing dream. He is also known for his close friendship with fellow driver Bubba Wallace, who has served as a mentor during race weekends.
Personal Life
Raised between Brooklyn, New York, and Washington, D.C., Caruth graduated from Winston-Salem State University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management. He is in a relationship with actress and producer Marsai Martin. Caruth has been the subject of multiple documentaries, including “Through the Fences” in 2020 and “Outside Line,” which premiered in 2023 at the Doc NYC Festival.
2025 Season Performance
Caruth’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opened with a 30th-place DNF at Daytona, but he quickly rebounded with a statement victory at Nashville. That result set the tone for a competitive run, as he advanced into the playoffs for a second consecutive year and continued to build momentum with Spire Motorsports. His playoff push was ultimately halted in the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway.
Beyond the Truck Series, Caruth also expanded his presence in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, running additional starts with Jordan Anderson Racing in the No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro SS at Dover and Daytona, and returning to Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 car at Kansas. These outings gave him valuable seat time in the second national tour and set up his planned 2026 split schedule between Jordan Anderson Racing and JR Motorsports.
Looking ahead, Caruth enters 2026 with two confirmed rides, JR Motorsports’ No. 88 and Jordan Anderson Racing’s No. 32, both fielding Chevrolet Camaro SS entries. With a Truck Series foundation already in place, the upcoming season represents his clearest step yet into a full-time Xfinity Series presence and another opportunity to keep climbing NASCAR’s national ladder.
