By Seth Eggert, Associate Editor
Every driver who competes in NASCAR has their own unique journey to reach the top levels of stock car racing. While some start at a young age, others have utilized various driver development programs and initiatives such as the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, NASCAR Next, and NASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D). Without D4D, rising star Rajah Caruth might not be in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The Spire Motorsports driver is a representative of a growing group of drivers, crew members, and industry personnel that in part, owe their success to the NASCAR initiative. With no racing background and no family in racing, Caruth would have faced a difficult, if not insurmountable, uphill climb into NASCAR without D4D.
In comparison, fellow D4D alum Nick Sanchez was go-karting prior to applying and being accepted into the program. Though that was still a long way away from competing in the Truck Series, it was still a further progression than Caruth had starting out first on iRacing before joining D4D and racing in U.S. Legends Cars at the Cook Out Summer Shootout.
“I think personally if it wasn’t for the program (Nick Sanchez and I) wouldn’t be racing, it would have been really hard,” Caruth explained. “I think it would have would have been nearly impossible for me to get started. Nick was go-karting and stuff before (joining Drive for Diversity). For me, it was my saving grace, it was my only opportunity, my only shot to race.”
The success of Caruth, along with Kyle Larson, Sanchez, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace is just one highlight of the D4D program. Up and down pit road crew members on multiple teams came through the program, as well as team social media members, public relations, and more. Having so many executives and teams working with NASCAR and D4D helps to build the ever-expanding footprint that the sport has.
For Caruth, that success is sign of the growing legitimacy of the program which is in its’ 20th year.
“I think it just speaks to its’ legitimacy, right?” Caruth stated. “You need to have buy in from the executives to the people that are delegated to run the race team and things of that nature. It just speaks to the legitimacy of it all, to have it last this long. It’s been great to be a part of it and it’s helped me so much.”
For the Washington, D.C. native, D4D fast-tracked his career. His ascension up the racing ladder from Legends Cars in 2019 to his first starts in the Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022 took only three years. While Caruth found early success in Late Models in 2020 and 2021, he went winless in both the ARCA Menards Series and Truck Series in 2022 and 2023.
That changed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024 when Caruth became just the fifth D4D alum to reach victory lane in NASCAR’s three National Touring Series after he won from the pole. His No. 71 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST team has continued to be competitive since that victory. The 22-year-old considers himself lucky to have broken through for that first victory and be competitive on a weekly basis.
“Anytime you can win in the top three series is a big deal in NASCAR and I feel like for me it adds legitimacy to your career, your name and everything,” Caruth admitted. “I feel very lucky that we were able to score that this year and to have it not be kind of a one-win wonder right where we’re competitive, we’re running up front, and we’re just trying to continue that momentum and enter the playoffs and have a really good postseason and hopefully make it to [the Championship 4 in] Phoenix.”
Caruth largely drowns out and ignores the noise that some have created over the years. Instead of dwelling on what random people, both fans of the sport and outside of the sport, have to say, he focuses on his friends, family, and upcoming races. The well-spoken driver is thankful for the opportunities that he’s earned throughout his career to this point. Because of that everything he attempts to do on and off the track Caruth aims to do the right way.
“I think part of that comes from just wanting to do things the right way, right?” Caruth said. “I’ve had a lot of thankfully good opportunities throughout my career so far. But, honestly, that’s my own personal perspective on it just. I’m just trying to do things the right way and wholeheartedly. That’s really all I have to say on that.”
With two races until the start of the 2024 Truck Series playoffs, the victory at Las Vegas has the second-year driver locked into the post-season. However, with no Stage wins he is currently tied for fourth with Ty Majeski in playoff points.
Next for Caruth is the TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. The race will also be broadcast on both the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.