Current Walls Students Visit with Walls Alum and NASCAR Drive Rajah Caruth

Photo by Mitchell Kasdan (‘27) 

Turning left at 180 MPH again and again: that’s what Rajah Caruth (‘20) does on Fridays, and sometimes Saturdays. However, on Friday, Jan.  31—nearing the end of the NASCAR offseason—Walls students met Mr. Caruth, an up-and-coming NASCAR truck series driver and Walls alum. 

The visit started at the MLK Library in downtown DC where Mr. Caruth’s sponsors presented the “Racing with Rajah” program where students across DC could learn about STEM in racing. Mr. Caruth then answered a Q&A about his life as a NASCAR driver and his journey to this point in his life and career. Afterward, students hopped into the Spire Motorsports #71 truck that Mr. Caruth will drive full-time this upcoming season, while other students drove on a sim-racing setup at the Daytona International Speedway.

Following a quick lunch break, students experienced The Washington, D.C. Auto Show, where Mr. Caruth answered more questions in the Chevrolet area from both students and passersby. At the auto show, students further talked to Mr. Caruth about his journey, while also examining many new cars from a variety of brands.

Speaking with Mr. Caruth was the common favorite part of the experience. Gideon Ratke (‘25) most enjoyed the Q&A because “learning about what a NASCAR driver’s life is like isn’t something you hear every day.” Mr. Caruth talked about how he trains in Charlotte, NC, where many drivers and teams are located, and which Chevy he drives day-to-day. 

Walls students not only learned about life as a racecar driver, but they learned about all the work that goes into racing each weekend, including details on Mr. Caruth’s involvement in the production of the cars. Calvin Day (‘27) enjoyed learning more about “the research and development that goes into creating a car and racing it. All the different requirements such as knowing which type of engine to bring for what track and what type of racing you will be doing. It was super cool to have all of this explained by the head of [Research and Development] at General Motors.” While most NASCAR tracks are ovals, the different lengths and bankings of the tracks, along with the few road courses, pose a different challenge every week for teams and drivers.

During the Q&A, it became clear Mr. Caruth is not only interested in driving a car in circles, but loves being a part of creating the cars he drives. Cole Hoffman (‘25) found it surprising “how involved [Mr. Caruth] was with the mechanics and engineering team,” and commented on other drivers, saying, “I think some drivers only learn the bare minimum in order to get the most performance, but I liked how he went above and beyond.” Mr. Caruth showed how having a passion on and off the track has been valuable in getting him the success he has already had at age 22. 

Students were also fascinated by what it is like to be in the car during a race. Ella Miller’s (‘27) “favorite part about the field trip is that we got to actually talk to Rajah, and then when we got to go into the car.” Miller got to talk one-on-one with Mr. Caruth and discussed how drivers stay hydrated during hours of straight racing where the car gets well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Miller explained that “you can't actually drink [out of the cup] while you're driving because you’ll crash, but there's a little tube [to drink water out of].” 

Speaking with Mr. Caruth was an inspiring experience for the students at the MLK Library. Hoffman said this opportunity has motivated him to consider becoming “a race car engineer. I really was inspired by how committed Rajah seemed to [Electric Car Club], as the students following his footsteps. … I wasn’t expecting [Mr. Caruth’s] alumni pride.” The “Racing with Rajah” program is coming to three DC Public Libraries this summer—including the MLK library—to introduce more young people in the region to motorsports.

Mr. Caruth is a great example of a School Without Walls alum who has taken their passion and turned it into a career. He has made it clear that with a drive and a dream, anything is possible.