Rajah Caruth will pursue the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year in 2023 for GMS Racing, but he will also dabble in the Xfinity Series once again as he will run “select races” for Alpha Prime Racing starting at Auto Club Speedway on 25 February.
Although the Xfinity Series is the second highest tier in the NASCAR ladder above the Trucks, Caruth made his début in the former first as he ran seven races in 2022 with APR. Caruth was the first driver signed by APR after their formation. His ended the 2022 season on a strong run with three straight top-twenty finishes, including a twelfth at Martinsville.
“I’m so enthused to bolster my NASCAR schedule this year by returning to Alpha Prime Racing for some Xfinity races,” said Caruth. “Tommy (Joe Martins) and his family took a chance on me before I had even ran an ARCA race, and to represent them as well as Caesar (Bacarella), his family and every man and woman in the APR fold is a blessing. I can’t wait to build on the finishes we put together late last year and continue to show what both myself and this team is capable of.”
Caruth arrives in the Trucks after finishing runner-up in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series standings. He also has four Truck starts to his name for Spire Motorsports with a best finish of eleventh at Gateway in his first start.
A specific Xfinity schedule beyond Fontana was not immediately revealed.
“Rajah is a special young racecar driver who is exactly the type of person we want in our building,” added team vice president David Schildhouse. “Keeping him here at Alpha Prime Racing for his Xfinity starts was a top priority for us this offseason. We look at Rajah as a vital part of our future and look forward to giving him the best tools possible to continue his growth in this sport.”
Alpha Prime will field the #43 and #45 for multiple drivers; Ryan Ellis, Sage Karam, and Stefan Parsons have confirmed they will split time in the cars alongside Caruth, as will Bacarella and Martins as owner/drivers. Jeffrey Earnhardt is in the #44 for the full season.
