Rajah Caruth will make the jump to Spire Motorsports for his second full-season campaign in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the organization officially announced on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old driver will reunite with the team he made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with during the 2022 season, while also working alongside Chase Purdy, who will pilot the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado.
Caruth will carry the No. 71 on his Chevrolet Silverado in 2024 — which matches the newest number for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series, piloted by Zane Smith this season.
“I’m usually a pretty stoic guy, emotionally, but it’s hard not to tear up a little bit thinking about this opportunity,” said Caruth. “There was a lot of uncertainty over the winter in almost every sense of the word. I just feel really blessed to be able to drive for Spire Motorsports and to be able to have Chad (Walter) come with me. I’m flattered to have the support of HendrickCars.com and, of course, Mr. H and the whole Hendrick family. It’s a dream to be here and to have a full season and to have a place where I can grow is pretty special,” added Caruth. “I’m ready to get back to work and continue what we’ve done over the last few months. Huge thanks to Spire, Chevrolet, General Motors, and everyone who supports me and my family for making this happen. I can’t wait for Daytona, Hopefully, I can make everybody proud.”
HendrickCars.com, which has served as a long-term partner of Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will serve as a 10-race primary sponsor of Caruth in the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado starting at Daytona.
“HendrickCars.com is the digital home for everything our company offers, including vehicles, career opportunities, service locations, and more,” said Gary Davis, executive vice president, Hendrick Automotive Group. “We are thrilled for Rajah to get this opportunity. He’s a bright and talented individual who will represent HendrickCars.com very well.”
Chad Walter, who last season served as crew chief for Caruth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at GMS Racing, will continue his journey with Caruth in 2024, as he calls the shots for the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado.
“Personally, that kid, Rajah, has changed my life,” commented Walter. “I don’t know of anyone else who I’d want to work harder for, or have wanted to work harder for, over the last 15 years of my career. He’s so uplifting in so many ways. He works hard and he wants to get better. I’ve worked with some really good drivers in my past, but Rajah really stands out. He goes about things the right way and his passion for this has really made an impact on me. I jumped at the opportunity to work with him again. It’s kind of a crazy business we work in but when I found out that this could come to fruition – that we could do this again together – there was no other option for me.”
A native of Washington, D.C., Caruth has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2022, with last season marking his maiden full-time campaign in NASCAR’s top-three series.
Driving for a championship-caliber organization in GMS Racing, Caruth put together a season of four top-10 results in 2023, including a pair of career-best sixth-place finishes at Darlington Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
Caruth will be part of a three-truck effort for Spire Motorsports in 2024, as he joins the organization alongside Chase Purdy (No. 77), as well as a rotation of drivers that will pilot the organization’s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado.
“We’ve talked about seminal moments for Spire Motorsports in the past, and I think this is another one of those moments,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Rajah Caruth is an exceptional young man. He’s a very talented driver with a bright future. He’s obviously young in his career but he’s mature beyond his years. You hear people talk about an ‘it’ factor and when you talk to him and get to know him, it’s pretty obvious he has ‘it.’ We’re exceptionally fortunate to be able to bring Rajah into the mix and pair him with Chad Walter. Those guys worked together last season so to be able to keep them together should go a long way in terms of chemistry and being competitive. Outside of that, this is just a good situation for everyone. It’s as simple as that.”
Caruth will begin his second season as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway, where he’ll pilot the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado. The Fresh from Florida 250 will take place on Friday, February 16th.
