For Rajah Caruth, learning on the job is not new and thankfully, he has a solid mentor in Bubba Wallace to help guide him in NASCAR. From his humble iRacing roots to finishing third in the ARCA Menard’s Series – Caruth is ready for his first full season in the Craftsman Truck Series.
It has been quite a fast ride for Rajah Caruth to this point in his career, and Bubba Wallace can relate to that a bit. So, since becoming friends through racing, Caruth has looked for advice from the 23XI Racing driver.
Being a high-profile Black man in NASCAR isn’t always fun. But, Caruth knows he has support in and outside of the sport. Both drivers talked to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports about their relationship.
“I honestly think about [being a Black driver in the sport] every day. From relying on Bubba and asking about how he feels, at the same time looking at other athletes in various other sports. How they handle expectations and titles and kinda things said towards them and about them.
“Really, what’s helped me has just been bringing my family closer and just working hard every single day from when I wake up at 6 [AM] to when I go to bed,” Caruth explained.
Bubba Wallace Had to Tell Rajah Caruth to Stop Talking
When you’re a young Black driver like Rajah Caruth or Bubba Wallace, the media wants to talk to you. There are stories and articles about everything you do or say. Sometimes, those young guys will do too much media and not focus on the race at hand.
Bubba stepped in to make sure Rajah knew when to be a little selfish.
“Interviewers got back up into his face for another interview and it’s just like ‘Woah!’ That’s game over right there. That’s your time to take a deep breath, put the earbuds in, put the helmet on and climb in.
“So, while other drivers were climbing in and throwing their seatbelts on, he’s still doing interviews. I kinda had to jump in and be like ‘Hey man, nah. You gotta get ready.’ He’s doing it all. He’s committed to growing his brand and his likeness and I can respect that. But there’s a time where it needs to switch over to what you need to focus on to go out and perform. To back those moments up with results.”
As Rajah Caruth continues along his NASCAR career we will likely see more of this relationship with Bubba Wallace. Both drivers are hoping to impress in 2023. We’ll see where they both end up at the end of the season.