Rajah Caruth Bio
Rajah Kirby Caruth, born on 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. Caruth first rose to national attention as a young talent moving through the NASCAR Drive for Diversity pipeline, and he has become one of the most recognized young drivers in the sport. He is also an active advocate for diversity in motorsports through his work with Young Minority Mentorship in Motorsports.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, who was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and Washington, D.C., Caruth balances a full racing schedule with continued education in motorsports management. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management from Winston-Salem State University in 2024, the same year he won his first NASCAR national series race.
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 Washington, D.C., experiences that helped shape his broad cultural identity and his path into racing. Caruth’s first exposure to motorsports came as a child when he watched the Disney Pixar film Cars, which sparked a lasting interest in stock car racing.
At the age of twelve, his parents surprised him with a trip to a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway in September, an experience that deepened his enthusiasm for the sport. Caruth graduated from the School Without Walls High School, a magnet school in Washington, D.C. known for its humanities programs, in 2020. He later returned to the classroom and earned a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management from Winston-Salem State University in 2024.
Path to NASCAR
Caruth’s formal racing career began in 2018, when he and his family fundraised for an iRacing simulator and he began competing virtually in the eNASCAR Ignite Series after turning sixteen. His sim racing 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 the 2019 Bojangles’ Southern Shootout. He closed his rookie season with two top-ten finishes and thirteenth place in the Semi-pro points standings.
In 2020, Caruth moved up to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, where he won his first career late model race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. The following year, he added wins at Hickory Motor Speedway before a landmark victory at Tri-County Motor Speedway on May 1, 2021, where he became the first African-American driver to win at that track. That same year, Rev Racing paired him with the team for a full season in the ARCA Menards Series East, where he finished third in the standings with two top-fives and three top-tens.
Rajah Caruth Career
Early Career (2022)
In 2022, Caruth made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway with Spire Motorsports, finishing eleventh. He ran additional Truck, ARCA Menards Series, and Xfinity Series starts that season, gaining valuable seat time across multiple national touring series. His best ARCA Menards Series result came at the 2022 Dutch Boy 150, where he finished second, capping a campaign that ended with eight top-fives, fourteen top-tens, and third place in the final standings.
Caruth also made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2022 with Alpha Prime Racing at Richmond Raceway, starting twenty-second and finishing twenty-fourth. He ran a partial schedule across the year, learning the nuances of stock car racing’s middle tier while juggling school and sim racing commitments.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2023–2024)
On December 6, 2022, it was officially confirmed that Caruth would drive full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023, piloting the No. 24 truck for GMS Racing with support from The Wendell Scott Foundation. After a rough regular season that included three DNFs and a best finish of sixth at Darlington Raceway, Caruth found his rhythm during the playoffs, posting three top-ten results and finishing sixteenth in points. He was fourth in the Rookie of the Year standings.
In 2024, Caruth moved to Spire Motorsports for a full-time Truck Series campaign in the No. 71, with HendrickCars.com coming on as his primary sponsor. He opened the year with a third-place run at Daytona and followed it with an eighth-place finish at Atlanta. On March 2, 2024, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth scored his first 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 to the playoffs and was eliminated in the Round of 8, finishing seventh in the standings, and was named the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver on November 22, 2024.
Spire Motorsports and JR Motorsports Era (2025–Present)
On December 13, 2024, Spire Motorsports confirmed that Caruth would return to the team for the 2025 Truck Series season. After a 30th-place DNF at Daytona, he bounced back to win at Nashville Superspeedway, his second career Truck Series victory, and once again advanced to the playoffs. Caruth was eliminated at the conclusion of the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway.
In 2025, Caruth also expanded his schedule into the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. On July 14, 2025, Jordan Anderson Racing announced he would drive the team’s No. 32 car at Dover Motor Speedway, where he finished twenty-second. On October 21, 2025, JR Motorsports revealed Caruth would run part-time for the team in 2026 in the No. 88 car. The following day, Caruth confirmed on a Twitch livestream that he would split the 2026 season between JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing, driving the No. 88 and No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro SS entries, respectively.
Driving Style and Strengths
Caruth is known for a smooth, calculating driving style that suits intermediate and superspeedway racing. He excels at managing tire wear and fuel strategy over long runs, a skill sharpened during his late model and ARCA development years. His partnership with Spire Motorsports crew chief Chad Walter and the support of HendrickCars.com have helped him refine race craft and qualifying pace at the national series level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Caruth’s most memorable career moment came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024, where his first national series win placed him in the history books alongside Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace. He has since added a second Truck Series win at Nashville in 2025 and a top-five Truck Series finish at Daytona, underscoring his strength on drafting tracks.
Rajah Caruth Career Wins
Across his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career, Caruth has two verified victories, both earned with Spire Motorsports. His breakthrough came at Las Vegas in 2024, followed by a second win at Nashville in 2025. He has also collected numerous top-ten finishes and was recognized as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver for 2024 and 2025.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Caruth’s first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024, making him only the third African-American driver to win in one of NASCAR’s three national series. He added his second victory at Nashville Superspeedway in 2025 and reached the playoffs in both seasons. He was eliminated in the Round of 8 in 2024 and again at Martinsville in 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Earlier in his career, Caruth posted four late model wins in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, including his landmark victory at Tri-County Motor Speedway in 2021. He also recorded multiple top-fives in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East with Rev Racing, including a runner-up finish at the 2022 Dutch Boy 150.
Rajah Caruth Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Caruth was born to Roger Caruth, his father, and Samantha Caruth, his mother. His Vincentian father and Vincentian-Barbadian mother shaped a multicultural upbringing that moved from Atlanta to Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. The family’s support, including fundraising for an iRacing simulator during his teenage years, helped launch his racing career.
Personal Life
Caruth is in a relationship with actress and producer Marsai Martin. He is good friends with fellow NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who serves as a mentor during race weekends. Outside of racing, Caruth is active with Young Minority Mentorship in Motorsports, promoting greater diversity within the sport, and was the subject of the NASCAR documentary Through the Fences in 2020 and the 2023 film Outside Line.
2025 Season Performance
Caruth opened the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season with Spire Motorsports and immediately showed speed, although a 30th-place DNF at Daytona slowed his early points chase. He responded with his first win of the year at Nashville Superspeedway, locking in a playoff spot for the second consecutive season and reinforcing his reputation as a rising contender in the series.
Caruth also expanded into the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2025, running a partial schedule with Jordan Anderson Racing in the No. 32 and later with Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 17 at Kansas, where he finished eighteenth. He reached the Truck Series playoffs but was eliminated at Martinsville in the Round of 8.
Looking ahead, Caruth confirmed in late 2025 that he will run a full NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule in 2026, splitting time between JR Motorsports in the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro SS and Jordan Anderson Racing in the No. 32. The partnership with two of Chevrolet’s strongest development teams positions him for continued growth at the national series level.