Rajah Caruth on his post-victory injury at Nashville, handling pressure and more: 12 Questions

New York Times

5 days ago

Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Rajah Caruth of Spire Motorsports. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity, but the full version is available on the 12 Questions podcast.
1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment?
So I played a lot of sports growing up — basketball, track and field, soccer — and I did a couple summers with the D.C. United youth summer program. I had a jersey signed by Bobby Boswell. He was a defender who used to play for D.C. United. I also had a Bill Hamid signature — he was the goalie.
My first racing one was Bubba (Wallace). I had an old Roush shirt, and he signed it for me when I met him for the first time at the All-Star Race in 2018.
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Did you go to a lot of D.C. United games?
Yes, at the old RFK Stadium. It'll be cool if they bring that back. I had track meets at a high school nearby, and my childhood house wasn't that far from it either. Definitely cool to reminisce about all those memories.
2. What is the most miserable you've ever been inside of a race car?
My first time at Michigan in ARCA. The sway bar broke — the arm on the left side — so it would just pick up the car and it was super rolled-over in the corner. It drove terribly. I was also sick beforehand, and I had crazy carbon monoxide poisoning. So I had to go to the care center. Technically you're not supposed to take pictures, but I took a selfie for my own personal diary.
… I'd say the hardest race physically was a CARS Tour race last year at Florence. It was so hot. That was the most tired I felt from anything I drove last year — any Truck race, any Xfinity race. I was worn out from a Late Model Stock race at Florence.
3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about?
My girlfriend (actress Marsai Martin) and I play video games together, and she's really good at Mortal Kombat. I can't even lie — she kicks my tail. I have a very bad losing streak against her. She's really good at video games.
So I'm definitely competitive in video games and basketball. Whether it's H-O-R-S-E or playing with buddies. But I can't play too hard — don't want to blow out a knee or anything.
4. What do people get wrong about you?
I don't really know or care, to be real. I've had pressure, eyes, assumptions and opinions around me my entire driving career, so I've gotten used to it. People can think whatever they want. I just carry myself how I was raised and try to do my best. At the end of the day, I'm living my dream and trying to do my best behind the wheel — and not only behind the wheel, but how I carry myself as a person.
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When I talked to Tommy Joe Martins for a story about Lavar Scott, he said you and Lavar view pressure differently than other drivers. He said so many times in your career, when you show up, you're the only Black driver, so everyone is already looking at you and the spotlight is already on. So when you show up, you're already used to the outside pressure and the pressure you feel is more internal. Is that an accurate statement?
Exactly. Thank you for speaking to that. Growing up as a city kid — that's pressure every day. You have to carry yourself a certain way in terms of how you dress, how you speak, your mannerisms. That's non-negotiable.
So any pressure like, 'Oh, what will you do with this opportunity?' — that really doesn't faze me. I've had that my entire career and really my entire life.
5. What kind of Uber passenger are you, and how much do you care about your Uber rating?
I've never looked at my Uber rating at all. I'm usually quiet or listen to music or something like that. So I feel like I'm a pretty nice passenger. Sometimes I want to talk and I'll chop it up, but usually around people I don't know, I'm quiet and to myself — I'll just put in my headphones and listen to music.
6. I'm asking each person a wild-card question. You won the Truck Series race at Nashville, and we saw you in the media center and everything was fine. But afterward, when I was walking to my car, I saw you on your way to the care center, injured and visibly bleeding. What happened?
I felt like Brad Keselowski when he cut his hand at Kentucky. Basically, a friend of mine came up to congratulate me after the race and kind of jump-scared me when I wasn't looking. It was a big trophy, and it had sharp edges and my chin was right there. So it was just worst-case scenario (and the trophy cut his chin open).
But it's a fun memory now. I had to get stitches and stuff. Thankfully, I didn't have to cut my beard.
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So you didn't realize it at first?
No, not at all. I hit myself and thought, 'Ah, that hurt,' but figured I was OK. Then I looked down and thought, 'Oh, I'm leaking. This is not good!' … Whenever I cut my beard off, I'm pretty sure I'll see the scar.
7. This is the 16th year of these 12 Questions interviews, so I'm asking a question from a previous year. In 2013, I asked: What percent of success in NASCAR is driver, and what percent is car?
It depends on what you define success as. For one person, success could be winning the race or finishing in the top five. For someone else, it could be just having a clean day or finishing in the top 20. So it's hard to say. It depends on the variables and circumstances.
Let's say winning the race — what percent is driver and what percent is car?
A significant amount is the driver. There are so many little things drivers are responsible for — pit road lights, getting into the pit box, driving the car to the limit every lap, not running over something, not cutting off the battery.
But your car's got to be good to be in the game. That's non-negotiable. And your team — you've got to have good pit stops to where you're not going to the back of the field, your car has to live the whole race and you've got to have good calls to keep you in the fight. I look at it like football — special teams, roster depth, coaching staff, coordinators. Everybody makes the thing work. But at the end of the day, it's up to your quarterback or your playmaker to put it all together.
8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver who you'd be one of the first to congratulate in victory lane if they won a race.
Grant Enfinger, without a doubt. And Lavar, obviously. Grant was my teammate at GMS (Racing) during my rookie year. We developed a good relationship there. Now we're alliance teammates with CR7 (Motorsports) and Spire (Motorsports), and it's been great to grow as friends and get to know each other's families. We work hard together in the sim work and race hard but fair on the track.
9. How much AI technology do you use, whether for your job or your daily life?
I'm kind of a movie nerd. I love sci-fi movies, and I like the Terminator series. So personally, I'm scared AI will become sentient — everyone using AI and it becoming self-aware. I don't really think that's going to happen, but overall, I don't really use AI that much.
10. What is a time in your life you thought was really challenging, but you're proud of the way you responded to it?
My rookie year at GMS in 2023. That team had won championships, but in the middle of the season they announced they were switching to Toyota and the Truck program was going to close. At the same time, Grant had won earlier in the year, and all eggs were in the basket to get him a championship.
… I didn't win (that year), didn't even get a top five. I had two real chances to win — I wrecked myself trying to block Ty Majeski at Kansas, and we broke while leading at Nashville.
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I thought I had my one shot and blew it. But I kept going, trusted Chevy and the people in my circle. And I came out of it. It was a testament to believing in yourself, but also knowing you can't do it by yourself.
11. What needs to happen in NASCAR to take the sport to the next level of popularity?
More stuff like San Diego. I hate seeing people complain on Twitter about Mexico or Chicago. I'm like, 'Bro, you guys are so one-sided.' It's a no-brainer to do things like that. It was a pain to not be in Southern California when we lost Fontana and Irwindale. The Coliseum was great, but having San Diego or something more permanent in Southern California would be super important.
But also — we have to expand the sport. We can't grow by only going back to where we've already been. We're doing a good balance right now — remembering where we've come from with Rockingham and Wilkesboro and the places we've revitalized, but also going to new spots.
12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next person. Last week was Ty Dillon and he said: What would 10-years-ago you be most proud of that you've accomplished now? So you at age 13.
This is funny because 10 years ago, I went to an Xfinity race at Dover when I was 13. And I ran the Xfinity race at Dover last week. So that was pretty cool to think about.
As a whole, I'd just tell myself to keep dreaming. You never know where it'll take you.
Do you have a question for the next driver? The next one is Kyle Busch.
How has your competitive nature changed now that you're a dad to Brexton and watching his progression? Do you still have the same fire, or do you also have equal enthusiasm about making sure Brexton is getting the opportunities and experiences he needs to do what you did — but even better?
(Top photo of Rajah Caruth celebrating his win in Nashville in May: James Gilbert / Getty Images)