Who doesn’t love to get recognized right? Especially when you get the right kind of attention and appreciation for your contribution, it indeed is a moment to cherish. Recently, Bubba Wallace’s mentee, and by now quite a well-known name in the squad, Rajah Kirby Caruth achieved a feat worth mentioning. 

While he did express his desire for more, the recognition did make him extremely happy. Rajah Caruth has been garnering quite a bit of popularity and it is his charisma and driving prowess that have significantly contributed towards the same. The season in particular has been great for Caruth as he picked up one victory, five top-5 finishes, and 12 top-10 finishes. Improving oneself as a driver and ensuring that you stay relevant to the sport ensured that Caruth is a worthy proponent of this achievement. 

Rajah Caruth is striving for success

The NASCAR Awards are indeed very special and they ensure that drivers stay motivated even if they do not make it to the victory line. Rajah Caruth has now emerged as quite a well-known name in the Truck series and this led him to win the “Most Popular Driver” for the 2024 season. This is his first award and Caruth has replaced Hailie Deegan as the contender for this award after she won the same for three consecutive years. 

Given the kind of love and affection that he has received from fans, Caruth was seen getting quite ecstatic about what he has achieved till now. What adds more prestige to the victory is that real-time voting also plays an important role in the decision and it is the love from the audience that made him stand out. The victory comes in a season where the 22-year-old has shown a decent track record with Spire Motorsports. Given that this season saw his first victory, his popularity has risen by quite a great magnitude. 

Expressing gratitude for the love he has received from the audience and the unexpected victory, Caruth said, “Hey everyone. I just wanted to express my gratitude for you all voting for me to win the most popular driver in the Truck Series this season. It definitely was unexpected when I was told I was on top 5 for voting. I really didn’t believe it at all. It’s awesome to be at the banquet last weekend in Charlotte and being recognized there. Unfortunately it wasn’t for making the Championship 4”.

Although he was seen as quite happy about the achievement, Caruth did not make it to the Championship 4, which did contribute to a tad bit of resentment. However, since then, the love he has been receiving from fans has been overwhelming. Impeccable footfall has marked each of his races and one could notice the kind of cheering he received. Even his social media accounts have been flooded with positive and motivating messages.

Caruth further added, “I am super thankful for all of your guys’ support. Both on and off, the racetrack… My name written on your chest to buying our diecasts. Showing up at all events both on and off the racetrack. I am super thankful for you guys. Can’t wait to keep our village growing in the next couple of years. and I am excited to show you guys what we have cooking up for 2025. But for now, happy holidays. Enjoy some time with your families. Hopefully, you will have some nice weather”.

Given the kind of popularity that Caruth has garnered this season, it would not be wrong to estimate that he might be a proponent for this award in the upcoming year as well. He is the third black driver to win a NASCAR national series race and hence, a lot of his popularity stems from this as well. With his unwavering gratitude, growing fanbase, and determination to excel, Rajah Kirby Caruth is undoubtedly paving the way for a promising and impactful future in NASCAR.

While his mentee takes big strides, Bubba Wallace has to deal with crew chief uncertainty in the Cup Series for 2025.

Bubba Wallace sees crew chief shuffle

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While things seem to be going great for Rajah Kirby Caruth, his mentor Bubba Wallace might be having a challenging time with a crew chief change. Bootie Barker will not be seen returning as Wallace’s crew chief for the 2025 season with 23XI Racing. He joined Wallace in 2021 and since then has been an integral part of his racing journey. Barker will be moving into a competition role within the organization. He took to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and expressed his feelings about this change. 

Barker said, “I won’t lie it was a surprise. It was a surprise. I will say this, I talked to Bubba before … as a crew chief, let’s just speak in generalities right now – rarely, does the crew chief get to set his own timetable or decide how he’s going to go out. It just doesn’t work that way. It’s just how it is”.

The camaraderie between Wallace and Barker has been quite visible. This duo had even achieved two Cup Series wins together. However, this season saw them going winless, and they also could not make it to the playoffs. The reason behind the decision to change the crew chief is still unknown. However, Charles Denike will replace Bootie Barker for the 2025 season.

As Bubba Wallace embarks on this new chapter with Charles Denike, fans are eager to see if this change reignites his competitive edge on the track. Will he be able to steer across this adversity, or will Barker’s absence act as a negative deterrent in this case?