Last Friday at Daytona International Speedway, Rajah Caruth narrowly managed to squeak himself into The Chase for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship, after a stellar run and some misfortune for William Sawalich and Brent Crews, the two drivers he was battling for the final spot.
In large part because of the stage points he was able to collect at Daytona, the Washington, D.C.-native finds himself as the 12th (and final) seed in the championship battle, despite the fact that he crashed late in the race while battling for a top three spot with teammate Justin Allgaier.
For Caruth, that’s the past. Now, he gets to focus on the future – the next nine weeks in the No. 88.
The 24-year-old driver spent 14 of the 24 regular-season events driving the HendrickCars.com-sponsored No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, as part of an agreement that saw Rick Hendrick sponsor the entry for the full season, in exchange for his four Cup Series drivers getting to run select events.
Caruth had to fill that 10-race schedule gap with a recurring role as the driver of the No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro for Jordan Anderson Racing, which, understandably, dampened his chances of being higher in points at the end of the regular-season. But, Caruth said driving the No. 32 taught him a lesson that translated to the No. 88.
“I felt like in the No. 32, I maximized my days very well, which is taking what the car gave me and what was there, but I found myself earlier in the year, in the No. 88, just pushing harder than I needed to because I knew I needed to maximize those days, and to maximize those days it wasn’t trying to go harder, it was just doing what I did in the No. 32, just the car goes faster. I learned that and felt like I did a good job of that at Iowa, Pocono, Daytona, mostly good.”
Despite this being his first time in The Chase – under this format – and in a post-season format in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at all, Caruth doesn’t lack any confidence heading into this nine-race stretch.
“I’m 100% [more confident than I was last year],” Caruth said. “I’ve got a great team around me and I’ve got people around me, not just the people working on the car, developing the parts and the engine and all of those things, but I’ve got [Rick and Linda Hendrick], Dale [Earnhardt, Jr.], Kelley [Earnhardt-Miller], L.W. [Miller], everybody, they have my back and they’ll hold me accountable when I need to do better, but are my support when things are going right and I’m doing a good job. So having that reassurance is everything.”
“It’s not like I’m sitting on my butt all day and playing video games; I’m going to wake up every day and get better, even if it’s getting a massage, relaxing, or playing iRacing all night, or studying, working out, all those little things I can do to get better. So, my confidence is high because I know that I put in the work and the team that I have around me.”
While Caruth is sitting 12th in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Driver’s Standings, the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is sitting as the third seed in the Owner’s Championship and has a legitimate shot at taking home that crown at the end of the season as well, which means Caruth is playing two different games at the same time.
“The ceiling is whatever you make it, man. I mean, we’re racing for the Owner’s; the No. 88 is third in Owner Points, that’s an important thing to remember, but compared to the format in previous years, sure, winning is great, but valleys are way more hurtful than they’ve been in previous years. So, it’s going to be important – if you’re having a seventh-place day, not to make it a 12th or 15th or 20th-place day, and also not throwing away a second or third trying to get the win and end up outside the top-10. That’s going to be even more important for that in The Chase.
“I feel really good about our chances, not only will our cars be fast, but I’m confident in myself and the lessons I’ve learned earlier this year, and I’m ready to put it all to the test.”
With JR Motorsports being the juggernaut organization that it is, some would expect there to be some pressure with being involved with the fight for the championship. But, Caruth doesn’t see it that way.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this, and I’ve wanted every bit of opportunity, so it’s not any extra pressure because I’ve worked for it, I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of people help me to get to this point and it’s a great opportunity – so no extra pressure, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
