Rajah Caruth
Rajah Kirby Caruth (born June 11, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing, and full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 6 and 61 Chevrolet SS for Rev Racing.
Rajah Caruth | |||||||
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![]() Caruth at Phoenix Raceway in 2021 | |||||||
Born | Rajah Kirby Caruth June 11, 2002 Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||
Achievements | First African-American to win at Tri-County Motor Speedway | ||||||
Awards | 2021 Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award Winner | ||||||
NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
Car no., team | No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing) | ||||||
First race | 2022 ToyotaCare 250 (Richmond) | ||||||
Last race | 2022 A-GAME 200 (Dover) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
8 races run over 2 years | |||||||
ARCA no., team | No. 6 (Rev Racing) | ||||||
Best finish | 23rd (2021) | ||||||
First race | 2021 Shore Lunch 150 (Iowa) | ||||||
Last race | 2022 General Tire 200 (Talladega) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series East career | |||||||
9 races run over 2 years | |||||||
ARCA East no., team | No. 6 (Rev Racing) | ||||||
Best finish | 3rd (2021) | ||||||
First race | 2021 Jeep Beach 175 (New Smyrna) | ||||||
Last race | 2022 General Tire 125 (Dover) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series West career | |||||||
2 races run over 2 years | |||||||
ARCA West no., team | No. 6 (Rev Racing) | ||||||
Best finish | 47th (2021) | ||||||
First race | 2021 Arizona Lottery 100 (Phoenix) | ||||||
Last race | 2022 General Tire 150 (Phoenix) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of January 18, 2022. |
Racing career
Early career
Rajah started his racing career at age 16, driving in the virtual 2018 eNASCAR Ignite Series on iRacing. Rajah was able to catch the attention of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which resulted in him having a shot at the 2019 Bojangles' Southern Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the legend cars category. Rajah ended his rookie season getting two top 10s, and ending up 13th in the Semi-pro points.[1] In 2020, Caruth moved up to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, where he won his first career late model race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, and ending the rest of the season with 3 top 5s and 9 top 10s in a total of 19 late model starts.[2] In 2021, Caruth returned to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and got his second and third late model win after winning both Hickory Motor Speedway late-model features. On May 1, 2021, Caruth won at the Tri-County Motor Speedway, his fourth overall late model win.[3][4]
ARCA Menards Series East
On February 3, 2021, Caruth announced that he will run full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East for Rev Racing, and will compete for Rookie of the Year honors. Caruth was able to finish off the season with 2 top 5s, 3 top 10s, and 3 top 15s, ending up third in the standings.[5]
ARCA Menards Series
On July 23, 2021, Rev Racing announced on Twitter that Caruth and teammate Nick Sanchez will drive in the 2021 Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa Speedway, which will be Caruth's first ever ARCA Menards Series start. Caruth started 12th and finished 9th.[6]
Xfinity Series
On August 30, 2021, Tommy Joe Martins and Caesar Bacarella announced the formation of Alpha Prime Racing, that will compete in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, with Caruth set as one of the drivers for the team.[7] On April 2nd, 2022, Caruth made his XFINITY Series debut at Richmond Raceway in the 44.
Personal life
Caruth was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a Vincentian father and a Barbadian mother,[8] but was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and Washington, D.C. He graduated from the School Without Walls High School in 2020, and is currently a sophomore at Winston-Salem State University, where he is a Motorsport management major.[9]
Motorsports career results
Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref |
2022 | Alpha Prime Racing | 44 | Chevy | DAY | CAL | LVS | PHO | ATL | COA | RCH 24 |
MAR | TAL | DOV 38 |
DAR | TEX | CLT | PIR | NSH | ROA | ATL | NHA | POC | IND | MCH | GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | TAL | CLT | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO | -* | -* | [10] |
ARCA Menards Series
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
2021 | Rev Racing | 6 | Chevy | DAY | PHO | TAL | KAN | TOL | CLT | MOH | POC | ELK | BLN | IOW 9 |
WIN | GLN | MCH | ISF | MLW 13 |
DSF | BRI 6 |
SLM 3 |
KAN 9 |
23rd | 180 | [11] |
2022 | DAY 11 |
TAL 6 |
KAN | CLT | IOW | BLN | ELK | MOH | POC | IRP | MCH | GLN | ISF | MLW | DSF | KAN | BRI | SLM | TOL | [12] | ||||||
61 | PHO 4 |
References
- Bembry, Jerry (March 19, 2020). "Meet Rajah Caruth, the 17-year-old eyeing a NASCAR career and a driver's license". Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth wins first career Late Model race". NASCAR.com. October 3, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth sweeps Hickory Late Model features". NASCAR.com. April 17, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth earns hard-fought win at Tri-County, looks to capitalize at Nashville Fairgrounds". revracing.net. May 3, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth, Nick Sanchez To Compete In ARCA As Part Of NASCAR Drive For Diversity Class". arcaracing.com. February 3, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- "(Twitter post)". Twitter. Rev Racing. July 23, 2021.
Tomorrow, @Nicksanchez080 and @rajahcaruth_ head to @iowaspeedway to race in the #ShoreLunch150! Catch the action at 9PM EST on @_TrackPass or on @MAVTV!
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Estrada, Chris (August 30, 2021). "Alpha Prime Racing to make Xfinity debut in 2022". NBCSports.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth building toward NASCAR career, racing toward history". Indiana Daily Student. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
- "Off The Track - Rajah Caruth". rajahcaruth.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2022 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2021 ARCA Menards Series East results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- "Rajah Caruth – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
External links
- Official website
- Rajah Caruth driver statistics at Racing-Reference