When Rajah Caruth talks about his journey on the NASCAR circuit, he repeatedly refers to following” the process.” It is that process that has been the key to his rapid rise in the profession.
In a matter of a few years, Caruth, 21 has grabbed the attention of the race car world.
Caruth grew up in the D.C. area and graduated from the Northwest high school School Without Walls before attending Winston Salem State University in North Carolina.
He started his racing career on the virtual racing simulator, iRacing, where he was noticed by NASCAR and selected to join the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.
Since then, Caruth has made 19 appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 30 appearances in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 25 appearances in the ARCA Menards Series, 12 appearances in the ARCA Menards Series East, and two ARCA Menards Series West appearances.
This month in Las Vegas, Caruth scored his first career-win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, becoming only the third African American driver to win a NASCAR national series race.
“It was definitely a surprise that I was able to accomplish this at this point in my career,” said Caruth. “But all along, the plan was to follow the process.”
Part of the process includes a regimented and rigorous program, from working out in the gym daily, to watching film and conferring with his team.
In addition to his training, he still has to find time for his studies as Caruth is set to graduate from Winston Salem State University this December.
No stranger to juggling a challenging schedule, Caruth has experience balancing life as a student, basketball and track and field, and as an employee for a summer job.
“I am a sports management major (with a concentration on motor speed management) and my plan is to use it to help understand more about the profession and how it works,” said Caruth, whose father Roger Caruth, is an assistant professor at Howard University.
Caruth Represents for D.C.
He explained his time in D.C. and father’s guidance has helped him along the way.
“My educational experience at [School Without Walls] helped me prepare academically. That, along with my father and his guidance in my educational goals.”
Although born in Atlanta, Georgia and having lived in New York for a short time, Caruth has spent most of his life in Washington and makes it known that he considers himself a Washingtonian.
“When I go out and compete, I am representing D.C. not only nationally, but globally as well,” he told The Informer.
Part of his journey has included mentorship from Bubba Wallace, one of the few African Americans on the NASCAR circuit. The next step in the process for Caruth will be at the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series, Food City 500, March 17 in Bristol, Tennessee.
In June 2020, he was the subject of a NASCAR documentary, “Through the Fences,” and in 2023 he was the subject of another documentary, “Outside Line,” which won an Emmy. While some might worry Caruth’s fame could become a distraction at such an early age, the young NASCAR star isn’t concerned.
“It’s sticking to the process and replicating it for the whole season,” he noted without hesitation. “That is the key for me.”
Source: Washington Informer
