Victories and losses are part and parcel of every sport. Some losses, however, seem particularly tough as the hopes come crashing down. From a fan’s perspective, it is especially hard to take in when a loss does not reflect a team or person’s actual potential. The Los Angeles Lakers‘ performance in the Western Conference Finals was one such instance.

Coming to the match already down 0-3 in the match series, the Los Angeles team had everything to play for. Facing an in-form Denver Nuggets, they got an arduous task on their hand. Unfortunately, LeBron James and Co could not overturn the deficit as they succumbed to a clean sweep led by Nikola Jokic. The humiliating loss has shocked Lakers fans, including young racing sensation.

Bubba Wallace’s Protégé expresses shock and awe over the Lakers’ elimination in the playoffs

The new GMS Racing addition, Rajah Caruth, is a big fan of the Lakers franchise. The Purple And Gold fan has been following them for quite some time. Like every other Lakers fan, Caruth was looking for a better performance from them. Even though the Lakers have surpassed expectations this season, a 0-4 sweep is something no one expected. Reaching the conference finals is a great success for the roster considering their difficulties in making it to the playoffs.

Taking his thoughts to Twitter, Caruth had little to say as he tweeted, “No way…”. 

The tweet not only reflects the feelings of a Lakers fan, but anyone who follows the sport. To see LeBron get eliminated from a Conference Final is indeed a rare sight to see. To pair it up with the rich History of Los Angeles Lakers, it might be a bitter pill to take. Turning around their season and beating strong teams like Dallas Mavericks on their way to the finals, the Lakers had nothing to take from the 4 matches surprisingly.

Read More: “I Understand That I’m a Black Man”: Rajah Caruth Reveals Bubba Wallace’s Role in Navigating White-Dominated NASCAR

The Steady Growth of Rajah Caruth

Caruth is the current driver of the #24 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. Having competed in the ARCA Menard Series he has been evolving with every race. Transitioning to upper levels of NASCAR slowly meant people noticing his talent on the track. This led to him earning starts in Xfinity Series and majorly, Camping World Truck Series, another milestone on his growth arc.

Having to balance college and racing simultaneously, Caruth’s pursuit of a Motorsport management degree perfectly aligns with his interests. In December of 2022, GMS Racing’s announcement to recruit the youngster was released. This was a life-changing event for Caruth, as that sees him compete full time in the Truck Series. As he make leaps of progress, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace undertook the role of a mentor for him.

Bubba and Rajah are few of the people of color in NASCAR racing, and very evidently, the industry is not exactly well populated with black drivers. Well, it is certainly great to see Caruth flourish gradually under Bubba’s guidance.

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What remains to be seen with time is how far does the road lead Rajah. Having someone like Bubba is no doubt a head-start for him as he continues to strive and improve his level in racing.