Rajah Caruth thought he was ready to make the leap to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on a full-time basis last year. Though it’s one-year delayed, no time has ever been better.
Caruth will compete in 23 races for JR Motorsports and complete the remainder of the full 33-race season with Jordan Anderson Racing’s No. 32 Chevrolet entry. After the opening three contests with JRM, he slots in sixth in the regular-season standings, with a pair of top-10 finishes in the first two races.
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“From my aspect, I’m going to get the most out of the car, whichever one I’m driving,” Caruth told NASCAR.com on running for multiple organizations while chasing a driver’s championship. “[With JRM], we expect to win and run up front. There is no reason why I can’t go and be competitive in the 32 car as well.
“I’m going to be working, putting my all in. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever car I’m in, I’m going to get the most out of it.”
Caruth’s first taste of making the in-season swap will come Saturday at Phoenix Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He will pilot the No. 32 for the next three races — Phoenix, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway — before returning to JRM at Martinsville Speedway to conclude March. When Caruth isn’t piloting the No. 88 JRM Chevrolet, all four of Hendrick Motorsports’ Cup Series drivers will make appearances in the machine, with William Byron being the first this upcoming weekend. Kyle Larson will wheel the car for the first time at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with Alex Bowman having his turn the following week at Darlington Raceway. Chase Elliott’s first 2026 O’Reilly start won’t come until NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland Speedway in early July.
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Logistically, Caruth will always travel to the track with JR Motorsports. While preparing, the 23-year-old will bounce between the two organizations to attend pre- and post-race debriefs.
Caruth will also have five full-time teammates, spread across the two organizations. He has leaned on series veteran Justin Allgaier the most thus far, but knows it ultimately boils down to what he does on and off the track.
“In years past, I would probably be looking at a lot of my veteran teammates for a lot of advice,” Caruth said, “but I would say I’m a little less on that train and more on attacking the opportunity and trusting the foundation that I built with the team and doing those things versus asking too many questions.
“I’m still always a sponge, but I’m not going to ask somebody how to do some things. I’ve got my own experience to a certain extent. I can still listen and learn, but I’m not a puppy dog looking for the road map. I’ve got some good foundations now.”
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Over the past few years, Caruth believes he has been elevated the most by the Wise Optimization program, spearheaded by former NASCAR competitors Josh Wise and Scott Speed. He went to work after losing confidence amid an inconsistent 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, which saw similar statistics to the previous season, despite a glaring three-spot drop in average finishing position.
Caruth is poised for a rebound in 2026, having regained confidence over the winter.
“Just trusting in myself and the work that I’ve put in,” Caruth said. “Showing up and spending time with the team, working hard in the simulator, that’s how I gain it back. Not comparing myself to other people because I guarantee you if anybody else was in the same situation as myself or had the same cards they were dealt last year or years before in their career, they wouldn’t have gotten to where I’m at — respectfully.”
Rajah Caruth stands on pit road next to his No. 88 Chevrolet before a NASCAR O
Since being paired with Mardy Lindley, crew chief of the No. 88 car, he has seen rapid growth in Caruth. The duo has spent ample time in the Chevrolet simulator, basing it on Connor Zilisch’s 2025 data, specifically at road courses.
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“He is committed to what he does,” Lindley said of his early impressions of Caruth. “He tries hard and is dedicated to getting better. Once we get into all these normal race tracks, I’ll be curious to see how it plays out.”
When the duo first started working together, one of the first things Lindley told Caruth was to forget what the No. 88 team, which is made up of the same core members as last year, did in 2025. The No. 88 team won 11 races last season, with 10 of them coming from the phenom Zilisch. Approaching the new campaign with that mindset allowed Caruth to compete freely.
MORE: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule
“I felt like he could be under tremendous pressure, and I don’t want him to feel like that,” Lindley said. “This is his car; Mr. H (Rick Hendrick, owner) has put him in it for the races. We’re going to do the best we can with him. I just wanted him to feel comfortable and not feel overwhelmed, especially with Cup drivers driving it.”
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Caruth will run the final 13 races of the 2026 season with JR Motorsports, including the full nine-race Chase. Admittedly, Caruth hasn’t set expectations for 2026, but believes he should be in the mix during the postseason.
“There’s no reason why I can’t go and compete for the championship,” Caruth said. “I’m confident in myself and the team. There is no reason why that can’t be us.”
