Rajah Caruth made history last year after winning his first NASCAR Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 2023, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to run full-time without the support of sponsors. Then came Rick Hendrick, and he backed Caruth’s ride at Spire Motorsports, and that decision proved to be a success with the Vegas triumph. Caruth became only third African-American driver to win a national series race after Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace. But ever since that win in Vegas, the 22-year-old has had to endure a slump.
His winless streak stood at 31 races, and 11 races into the season, the pressure to lock himself in the playoffs only became heavier for the driver. And just when Caruth and his team needed a big breakthrough, they returned to the Music City and bagged that all-important first win of the season at Nashville Superspeedway. The entire #71 took a huge sigh of relief, especially after the up-and-down season, and while this slump could’ve easily affected the confidence of the young driver, he dug deep. Caruth opened up about his season-long struggles and how his team has managed to grind through it after this monumental victory.
On MRN’s podcast, host Chris Wilner asked the 22-year-old if the frustration I have ever crept in between Vegas and Nashville. He responded with, “Yeah, I think, for me, Kansas was the one where I’m like, Dang, like if I put that thing together a little better, we would have been right there at the end of the race. And then I didn’t. And I’ve been thinking about that really since that race.”
At Kansas, Caruth finished 21st, and he saw his fellow teammate, Carson Hocevar, hold off Layne Riggs to win. This was the second win of the year for the #7 team, and it stung the young driver. This was the race where he wanted to push through after consecutive top 5 runs at Rockingham and Texas, but it was a humbling result. Despite this tough road, Caruth and his team didn’t give up and knew they would get an opportunity soon.
And he wasn’t chasing shadows; he was hunting the series’ titans. “I think obviously we’ve been all chasing the 11 truck and the 34 and 38, and then kind of just fighting to see where we all stack up otherwise, and really relying on our tools with Chevrolet and GM. So I feel like it was almost a matter of time, but I was just proud of the grind that we put in and just climbing ourselves out of the hole we had to start the year. So, I hope that answers your question, but overall just proud of the effort and excited to have her in the dub,” Caruth added.
He did fend off Corey Heim late in the race, who was charging aggressively towards the back bumper of the #71 Chevy Silverado. Rajah Caruth kept the #11 truck in his rear-view mirror for the last 10 laps and crossed the finish line first by a margin of half a second. Pit road execution and skilful driving helped the entire team to turn around their season at Nashville. Even Heim tipped his hat towards his rival after the race, as he appreciated clean, hard racing, unlike the shenanigans Riggs threw at him at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
“He did an awesome job managing from the lead, and I was really free behind him and he made pretty much the right choice every time as for where I was gonna go. It’s nice racing against people that aren’t going to wreck you, racing for the race lead,” Heim said after the race. Two wins with Spire Motorsports and another shot at competing for the championship. Fair to say that Rick Hendrick made the right call to support Caruth’s racing adventures. He might be learning the tricks of the trade at his own pace, but he is one of the talented drivers from the Truck Series garage.
Although Caruth has found his mojo back, the same cannot be said for his mentor, Bubba Wallace. His future at 23XI Racing isn’t secure, and this time the problem isn’t just the on-track results.
Bubba Wallace’s shaky future in NASCAR
After his solid P6 finish at Nashville, Bubba Wallace faces uncertainty as a recent US court of appeals discussion threatens 23XI Racing’s future in the NASCAR Cup Series. The court reversed a previous injunction that allowed 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to compete as charter teams in 2025. Meaning both teams could be racing as open entries if their appeal is rejected. Drivers at 23XI Racing are under contract provided they are a part of a chartered organization. With this ruling in place, all three cars from the organization will have to qualify for races where the field is more than 40 cars.
Moreover, Jeffrey Kessler, the advocate for the two teams, released a statement: “We are disappointed by today’s ruling by the Fourth District Court of Appeals and are reviewing the decision to determine our next steps. This ruling is based on a very narrow consideration of whether a release of claims in the charter agreements is anti-competitive. We remain confident in our case and committed to racing for the entirety of this season as we continue our fight to create a fair and just economic system for stock car racing that is free of anticompetitive, monopolistic conduct.”
This also raises serious questions about 23XI Racing’s ownership of the SHR charter that Riley Herbst holds right now. NASCAR could sell off these two charters to other teams, leaving a big hole in the pockets of the two teams. With a trial scheduled for December 2025, the coming months promise to be a rollercoaster for team owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. And most importantly, Wallace’s future behind the wheel.
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