It’s no secret that driving a full season in NASCAR is tough, no matter the series. But Rajah Caruth made it look easy in 2024, not only conquering a grueling schedule but also finishing up his Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management from Winston-Salem State University. Talk about juggling priorities! And let’s not forget, he also nabbed the coveted Most Popular Driver award in the Truck Series this year. Pretty impressive, right?

After dipping his toes into the NASCAR scene with part-time Xfinity runs for Alpha Prime Racing, Caruth dove into his first full-time Truck Series season in 2023, finishing 16th with four top-10s. But 2024? That was his year. He came out strong, securing his first-ever win and wrapping up the season in 7th place overall. It’s clear that the future’s looking bright for him!

Spire Motorsports sticks with Rajah Caruth for 2025

Consistency was the name of the game for Caruth in 2024. Across 23 starts, he collected five top-5 finishes, twelve top-10s, and posted an impressive 11.57 average finish. He made waves right from the start, finishing 3rd at Daytona. But his standout moment came at Las Vegas in just the second race of the season when he snagged his first pole and cruised to his first victory. That made him only the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race—big stuff!

With another pole at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Caruth continued to impress, giving Spire Motorsports a solid season. Eight times, he started in the top 5, and by the end of the year, he’d finished with an average starting position of 10.65. Spire Motorsports clearly believes in Rajah Caruth’s potential, which is why they’re bringing him back in 2025 to drive the #71 Truck.

In Spire’s press release, co-owner Jeff Dickerson couldn’t hide his excitement: “He took the incredibly high expectations we placed on him to start the year and exceeded them in every way. I’m impressed with how he’s balanced his commitments to his race team, his craft, the media, and his growing fanbase while managing a full workload at Winston-Salem State University. Our organization believes in Raj, and he has consistently shown the leadership, form, and work ethic that every team looks for in a driver. We’re really happy to run it back with him next season.”

Caruth has also had a major ally in Rick Hendrick, who’s been backing him for a while now. The young driver received full-season primary sponsorship from HendrickCars.com in 2024, and it looks like that partnership is here to stay. Hendrick is clearly a fan of Caruth’s work ethic and character. He said, “Rajah is a young man of tremendous character and has proven to be a great representative of HendrickCars.com and our nearly 11,000 teammates across the country. We couldn’t be prouder to make this announcement on the same day Rajah and his family celebrate his college graduation. He has a very bright future in the sport, and we are thrilled to continue supporting his journey in 2025.”

The youngster is equally grateful for Hendrick’s support. Reflecting on his 2023 Xfinity race with Hendrick Motorsports, where he finished 14th in the #17 car at Phoenix Raceway, he said, “It is very special to have Hendrick Automotive Group and HendrickCars.com support me and my racing career. When I got the opportunity to drive their Xfinity car at Phoenix in 2023, it felt like an audition for 2024. I didn’t have any plans at that point, but I’m thankful for everything Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick and all the great people at HendrickCars.com and Hendrick Automotive Group have done for me. I’m super thankful for their support and I’m ready to put on a show for them next year.”

And speaking of next year, Caruth is pumped to have bagged a ride and is aiming for the big prize!

Rajah Caruth opens up on his 2025 plans

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Spire Motorsports has three Trucks in NASCAR. While Caruth will be piloting the #71, the #77 was driven by Chase Purdy in 2024, but with his exit, it is uncertain as to who will Caruth get as a teammate. And lastly, the #7 is a part-time entry with multiple drivers having a go at it. With this changing dynamics at Spire, Caruth has an incredible opportunity to cement his position in the team taking charge in 2025. This could eventually open doors for his promotion into the top divisions, with the team currently on a revamp journey.

Naturally, Caruth is excited about the opportunity, “It is great to have a home and stability heading into next year. I believe this is the first time in my career I won’t be with a new team or competing in a different series at the start of the season. I really appreciate the opportunity Jeff (Dickerson) and T.J. (Puchyr) have given me, and I’m excited to continue preparations for 2025. Our organization has really grown over the past year, and we have shown what we are capable of. We have set the bar high for the season and the expectation is to win more races and compete for a championship.” 

Now, with his education behind him, he can fully focus on his racing career. “It required a lot of hard work and sacrifice, along with diligent time management between coursework and everything associated with racing including team meetings, simulator time and travel. I appreciate everything Dr. (Clay) Harshaw, Dr. (Dennis) Felder and all my professors at Winston-Salem State have done to help me finish school while chasing my dream.” Caruth started his journey at Winston-Salem State in 2020 and got his Xfinity Series debut in 2022 whilst still in college. All his career NASCAR achievements so far have come while completing his college, making his efforts incredibly impressive.

Caruth added, “It is super cool to have the faculty, student body and WSSU National Alumni Association following me in my journey and cheering me on. The crew chiefs I’ve had through the years have been flexible with my schedule so I could finish this chapter, and I’m ready for racing become my lone focus.” But there’s still one thing up in the air: his crew chief for next season. Will Charles David Walter return for another round? We’ll have to wait and see.

So, what do you think—do you see Rajah Caruth competing for the 2025 championship? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!