“This has been so much fun for me.” Those were NASCAR Hall of Fame Rick Hendrick’s words after his young guns dominated the 2018 Daytona 500. Over the years, Hendrick has built the most successful team in NASCAR history. With 14 championships and more than 300 race wins, Hendrick Motorsports has established a legacy. One of the major reasons for their success has been the investment in young talents.

From Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson to Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, HMS has consistently developed the best drivers in the sport. Following their policy, in 2024, HMS heavily invested in NASCAR Truck Series driver Rajah Caruth. The 22-year-old rising star delivered on the expectations by finishing 7th in the championship table. Yet, despite his success, Caruth found himself left out of HMS’s 2025 Xfinity plans.

Ahead of the second race of the season, Hendrick Motorsports announced its 2025 Xfinity Series lineup. The team is scheduled to participate in 16 races with the No. 17 Chevrolet. The driver lineup includes all four HMS Cup Series drivers—William Byron, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman—along with newcomer Corey Day. Notably, Daytona 500 winner Byron will kick off the Xfinity campaign on March 1 at Circuit of The Americas.

Byron and Larson will each run two races, while Elliott and Bowman will drive once. The remaining 10 races will feature 19-year-old dirt racing sensation Corey Day. While Hendrick’s Xfinity return has been exciting for fans, the absence of Caruth triggered a massive backlash. Many immediately took to social media to voice their frustration, calling out Hendrick Motorsports. One fan summed up the frustration bluntly, “Damn, they couldn’t even give Rajah one race. F—— pathetic.”

The demand for Caruth’s Xfinity run isn’t without any backing. His 2024, performance is enough for his candidature. The NASCAR Development Program prodigy won his maiden NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. With this win, he became the third black driver in NASCAR history to win a race following, Bubba Wallace and Wendell Scott. Notably, he made it to the playoffs with five top-5 and 12 top-10 finishes. He also had two poles and an average finish of 11.57 for Spire Motorsports’ No.71 truck.

Beyond his Truck Series success, Caruth made 19 Xfinity Series starts between 2022 and 2023. Rick Hendrick led HendrickCars.com was his primary sponsor for the last year. Given his alliance with HMS, many expected him to be in the car. However, it seems that HMS has gone with Kyle Larson’s dirt track find Corey Day. The 19-year-old driver has been pretty impressive with his racing skills. He even defeated Larson in a championship fight at the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix. While HMS is looking to prepare for future fans fail to understand the reason behind Caruth’s omission.

Fans point to injustice in Rick Hendrick’s Xfinity program

The disappointment surrounding Rajah Caruth’s absence quickly snowballed into a widespread criticism of Hendrick Motorsports. Fans didn’t hold back as they blasted the team’s decision, pointing out how unfair the move seemed. Some fans lost their interest in the team’s Xfinity program, and said, “Rajah Caruth and Boris Said would’ve been the reason I’d be interested in the No. 17 car.”

Another fan expressed concern that Caruth was being overlooked unfairly. “Poor Rajah. Might be getting the Zane Smith treatment now,” wrote a user. Notably, Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith struggled a lot to find a Cup ride for the 2025 season. He was initially looking to continue at Trackhouse Racing, but Justin Marks’ led squad chose Shane van Gisbergen. Fans feel that Caruth is having a similar fallout in his career.

However, one user explained, arguing that HendrickCars.com’s sponsorship isn’t necessarily a development deal. “I’ve been trying to tell people this since last year. People don’t understand a Hendrick sponsorship isn’t a development deal. Rajah will be fine. He’s young, and the sky is the limit.” Well, this wasn’t enough for a section of fans who were trying to understand the logic behind not adding Caruth to a single race. A user echoed the sentiment and said, “Wonder why they didn’t give Rajah a race or two?”

Despite the snub, Caruth’s future in NASCAR remains bright. He continues to drive for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series. His No.71 will be backed once again by HendrickCars.com. Notably, this year Caruth will focus solely on his racing career as he completed his college degree in 2024. He will hope to get a more desired result and much much-deserved seat in the top series.