NASCAR is a 76-year-old sport, holding treasure troves of legacy. But the sport also carries some indelible faults that have stood the test of time. One of them is a lack of representation of diverse communities, given that the sport is primarily occupied by Caucasian males. This truth hits hard, particularly for drivers like Rajah Caruth – but the current O’Reilly Auto Parts driver has a dream.

Rajah Caruth paints a grim picture

“I remember growing up, and if I had not had such a deep passion for racing, I could put blinders on,” Rajah Caruth said on The Morning Hustle podcast. “To a certain point, I obviously realized that I was 18, by myself at a lot of these places, that I was the only person that looked like me or the only person in my age range. And, knowing what that felt like and how much strength that requires, standing on my identity, and really my background.

Rajah Caruth, already a two-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is in his prime. The 23-year-old is currently wheeling the JR Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet full-time. But even as his career trajectory reaches the pinnacles of success, Caruth cannot deny the outstanding nature of his presence. He is one of only three Black drivers in NASCAR history to win a race, after Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace.

And Rajah Caruth painted a grim picture with the knowledge of this unique distinction. Even after almost 8 decades of existence, NASCAR continues to encourage only one community to race in its folds. However, times are changing, with more underrepresented communities, like Black people or women, enrolling in the sport. And Caruth confessed that he has a dream in this regard.

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“If somebody like me, in whether it’s 5-10 years or hopefully sooner, they can just focus on driving, and not have to look over their shoulders about things other than what they can perform, then that’s gonna be great,” Rajah Caruth continued. I’ve had that in, not my whole career, but in my whole life, which a lot of us can speak for.”

Rajah Caruth clinched his first career top ten in the NASCAR OAPS at Daytona. And then he followed it up with a jaw-dropping 8th-place performance in Atlanta, which elicited praise from veterans.

Saluting the youngster’s deft moves

Last Saturday’s OAPS race at EchoPark Speedway featured chaotic events. But Rajah Caruth skillfully avoided them. After starting 6th, he took the lead by lap 28 and finished 2nd in Stage 1. Then he captured his first career stage victory in Stage 2. However, the real drama happened after that.

Rajah Caruth had a flat left tire on the final run, forcing additional pit stops. He avoided a wreck that happened a few feet in front of him and saved himself from getting loose. Restarting 20th with only 6 laps remaining, Caruth charged back through the field to finish 8th.

This prompted NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin to comment. “Today [Rajah Caruth] made a fan for life out of me,” Martin posted after the race. “Some of the most car control I’ve seen in all my years. I wonder if he listens to any [Gucci Mane] if not, I’ve got a playlist to share.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the driver’s team owner, said, “Because Rajah had a lot of stage points, we had new tires. We were on the offense. And he got himself back up in there into the top 10, got a good result. He’s sitting right now second in points. So pretty happy with that.”

Clearly, Rajah Caruth is thoroughly focused in racing. Let’s see how this trendsetter performs next.