Sage Karam Bio
Sage Rennie Karam (born March 5, 1995) is an American professional auto racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 53 Toyota GR Supra for Joey Gase Motorsports. He previously competed full-time and part-time in the IndyCar Series and is the 2013 champion in what is now the Indy NXT Series. Karam has built a versatile career spanning open-wheel, sports car, rallycross, and stock car competition.
Born and raised in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Karam developed his skills on the karting circuits of the northeastern United States before advancing through the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. Over the course of his career, he has driven for leading organizations including Andretti Autosport, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, establishing himself as a talented and adaptable competitor.
Early Life and Background
Sage Karam was born on March 5, 1995, in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. He is of Lebanese heritage and grew up in a supportive family environment in the eastern part of the state. He developed an early interest in motorsports and began racing go-karts at Oakland Valley Race Park in Cuddebackville, New York during his youth, where he built the foundation for his future career.
Karam attended Nazareth Area High School, from which he graduated in 2014. He has a younger sister, Sydnee Karam, who is a competitive swimmer. While balancing his education with a growing racing career, Karam continued to progress through the junior motorsports ranks and showed the kind of discipline and focus that would later define his professional journey.
Path to NASCAR
Karam’s path to NASCAR came after years of competing in open-wheel and sports car racing. On July 26, 2021, it was announced that he would make his NASCAR debut in the No. 31 for Jordan Anderson Racing in the Xfinity Series’ Pennzoil 150 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. His schedule with Jordan Anderson Racing was expanded to include events at Bristol Motor Speedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, as well as the Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
In 2022, Karam signed with Alpha Prime Racing for a part-time Xfinity Series schedule. At Road America, an on-track incident with Noah Gragson led to a thirteen-car pileup, resulting in a fine and points penalty for Gragson. Karam continued building his stock car resume, returning to Alpha Prime Racing in 2023 and adding races with Sam Hunt Racing and MBM Motorsports, including a fourth-place finish at Road America that earned him additional opportunities.
Sage Karam Career
Early Career (2010-2012)
Karam launched his professional career in the 2010 USF2000 Championship with Andretti Autosport. He dominated the season, winning nine of twelve races and earning pole position in all but one event to claim the championship. As part of the prize package from the Road to Indy program, he advanced to the Star Mazda Championship in 2011 with Andretti Autosport, winning back-to-back oval races at the Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway and earning Rookie of the Year honors.
In 2012, Karam returned to the Star Mazda Championship and improved to third in the standings with three race wins, demonstrating his growing consistency and race craft. His early results caught the attention of teams higher up the open-wheel ladder and set the stage for his move to Indy Lights.
Indy Lights Championship (2013)
In 2013, Karam moved up the Road to Indy ladder to the Firestone Indy Lights series with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. He won the Indy Lights title that year, becoming the eighth rookie to win the series championship. The championship marked a defining moment in his career and established him as one of the top young talents in American open-wheel racing.
IndyCar Series Career (2014-2021)
Ganassi secured Karam a seat in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Karam qualified 31st but drove an outstanding race to finish ninth, the second-highest-finishing rookie. During the 2015 IndyCar Series season, Karam split driving duties for the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 8 Dallara with Sebastián Saavedra, posting a season-best third-place finish at the Iowa Corn 300. That year also brought tragedy at Pocono Raceway, where debris from Karam’s crashed car struck fellow competitor Justin Wilson, who later succumbed to his injuries on August 24, 2015.
Karam continued with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the Indianapolis 500 in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2019, he also drove for Carlin at the Honda Indy Toronto. On May 23, 2021, Karam qualified seventh for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500, his best Indy 500 finish to that point. He also drove for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the 2020 season at St. Petersburg, the GMR Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the Honda Indy Toronto.
Joey Gase Motorsports Era (Present)
Karam joined Joey Gase Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 53 Toyota GR Supra. The move marked a continued commitment to stock car racing after several years of part-time NASCAR competition. His work with the team has added another chapter to a diverse career that has spanned open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing.
Notable Races and Milestones
Karam’s career is highlighted by his 2013 Indy Lights championship, his top-ten finish in his 2014 Indianapolis 500 debut, and his seventh-place run in the 2021 Indianapolis 500. In NASCAR, his fourth-place finish at Road America in the Xfinity Series stands out as a signature stock car result. He has also competed in prestigious endurance events, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Sage Karam Career Wins
Across his career, Sage Karam has accumulated wins in multiple racing disciplines. In open-wheel competition, he captured the 2010 USF2000 Championship with nine victories, the 2013 Indy Lights championship, and recorded three wins in the Star Mazda Championship across 2011 and 2012. In rallycross, he earned a win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the 2019 Americas Rallycross Championship and finished second in the 2021 Nitro Rallycross standings with five wins and seven podiums.
Other Wins and Performances
Karam’s rallycross success includes five wins during the 2021 Nitro Rallycross season, where he finished as championship runner-up. His versatility across disciplines has made him a respected figure in American motorsports, and his continued presence in NASCAR reflects his passion for competing at the highest levels of the sport.
Sage Karam Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sage Karam is of Lebanese heritage. He has a younger sister, Sydnee Karam, who is a competitive swimmer. His family supported his early racing endeavors, allowing him to pursue karting in New York and progress through the junior motorsports ranks.
Personal Life
Karam lives in Easton, Pennsylvania with his wife, Abigail Karam. The two were married on July 16, 2021, and the couple share their home with three dogs. He graduated from Nazareth Area High School in 2014 and has continued to make Pennsylvania his home throughout his professional racing career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Sage Karam continued his part-time role in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joey Gase Motorsports, driving the No. 53 Toyota GR Supra. His experience across open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing has made him a versatile asset for the team. Karam’s schedule in 2025 reflected his ongoing pursuit of a full-time NASCAR opportunity, a goal he has expressed publicly following strong part-time performances.
With his diverse background and proven speed on road courses and ovals alike, Karam remains focused on building momentum in the Xfinity Series. His ability to adapt to different racing formats and his consistent results in part-time opportunities position him as a driver capable of making the most of each race. As the season progresses, his primary objective is to deliver strong finishes and continue expanding his presence in the NASCAR garage.