Rajah Caruth made history in 2024. Under the bright lights of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he became only the third black driver to win a NASCAR national series race. The moment was surreal for the young racer as he climbed out of his No. 71 Chevrolet, he could hardly find the words. “I’m pretty speechless. It’s been a tough journey so far,” he said. The victory cemented his place in NASCAR’s history books, alongside Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace.

However, every success story comes with its share of struggles. Caruth’s rise through NASCAR has been anything but easy. Without major financial backing, he relied on pure talent and determination. He moved from iRacing simulations to real-world victories, proving that dreams come true with enough grit. Yet, no one walks the road to success alone. Every champion draws inspiration from somewhere.

For Caruth, that inspiration didn’t come from a fellow driver but from someone much closer—his father. As the 2025 season continues to entertain, the Spire Motorsports driver revealed how his father has been the backbone of his racing career. In an emotional message, Caruth spoke about his father’s struggles as he eyes another win in Las Vegas.

Rajah Caruth shares an unbreakable bond with his father!

Rajah Caruth has often been compared to Bubba Wallace. Like Wallace, he came up through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. He also aims to break barriers in a sport that still has limited African American representation. As Spire Motorsports celebrates Black History Month, Caruth spoke about his real inspiration. In a candid interview, he praised his father and his efforts that ultimately shaped his racing career.

“I don’t know. I think, bottom line, it’d probably be just my dad, to be honest. He immigrated here to the United States from the Caribbean, went to school in Atlanta—that’s where I was born—and then raised my sister and me in Brooklyn and D.C. primarily. Coming from very humble beginnings to now being a Ph.D. and teaching at Howard, he also provided a platform for me to chase my dreams, managing my stuff,” Caruth said.

Notably, it wasn’t just Rajah’s father who played a crucial role. His mother was also instrumental in shaping his journey. His father and mother took him to his first race, igniting a passion that would shape his future. They supported him when he moved from Washington DC, to North Carolina to pursue racing full-time. “I can’t imagine for a mom, for a dad, to send their 18-year-old kid to a completely different culture, a completely different lifestyle, to live on his own, work at a race shop, and be in a completely different environment,” Rajah said after the win.

While Caruth celebrates his father’s efforts and sacrifices, he is still growing up in the NASCAR world. The 22-year-old Atlanta native’s journey to the top wasn’t conventional. He didn’t come from a racing family. Instead, he started with iRacing, a virtual simulator, before transitioning to Late Models. His talent quickly earned him a spot in Rev Racing’s Drive for the Diversity program, the same initiative that helped the likes of Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson.

His career took off from there. In 2021, he won the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award. Three years later, in 2024, he won his first Truck Series race. That victory put him in the elite company alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott and Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace. He also claimed the 2024 Most Popular Driver Award in the Truck series, proving that his impact extended beyond just results on the track. However, his 2025 season hasn’t started well, with two back-to-back DNFs in the first two races.

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Caruth eyes redemption in Las Vegas!

The 2025 NASCAR Truck Series season has not been kind to Rajah Caruth. After a breakout year in 2024, where he won his first race and finished seventh in the standings, he entered this season with high expectations. But the first two races have been nothing short of disastrous. At Daytona, his race ended in heartbreak when Corey Heim’s sudden lane switch triggered a multi-truck crash that caught him.

Just as things seemed to be turning around in Atlanta, disaster struck again. While running in second place in Stage 3, Caruth’s truck suddenly spun out, and he finished 29th. “It’s a shame to do that in front of the field, especially since we had some fast Chevrolets. I’m pretty bummed about tearing up stuff,” he said after the race. Despite the rough start, Caruth remains focused on bouncing back. And what better place to do it than Las Vegas, where he made history last year?

As NASCAR currently navigates in COTA, truck drivers have some time off before hitting the track for a third round of the season. Rajah Caruth will aim to make a comeback and silence his doubters with his performance. A track like Las Vegas will surely boost his confidence. Do you think Caruth can repeat his 2024 heroics in Las Vegas and take his Spire Motorsports to the victory line again?