Rajah Caruth is leaving Atlanta Motor Speedway as one of the hottest drivers in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
After an aggressive and calculated performance in Saturday’s race (Feb. 21), Caruth secured an eighth-place finish, won Stage 2 for the first time in his career, and climbed to second place in the overall standings after just two races.
For a driver who insists he is “here to win,” the early-season consistency is speaking loudly.
Rajah Caruth Finishes Eighth, Wins Stage 2 at Atlanta
Caruth started sixth and stayed near the front all afternoon. He completed all 163 laps, led 22 laps, and posted a best lap of 31.17 seconds. His eighth-place finish marked his second top-10 result in as many races to start the 2025 season.
More importantly, Caruth captured his first career stage win by taking the checkered flag in Stage 2, earning 10 valuable stage points. The moment signaled growth for the 22-year-old driver, who has shown increasing confidence in superspeedway-style racing.
Stage 2 Results
- Rajah Caruth – 10 points
- Justin Allgaier – 9
- Carson Kvapil – 8
- Corey Day – 7
- Brandon Jones – 6
That stage victory helped propel Caruth to 82 total points through two races, including 25 stage points — second only to Austin Hill in the standings.
Dodging Disaster and Showing Elite Car Control
While the box score shows an eighth-place finish, it does not tell the full story of Caruth’s day.
Throughout the race, he avoided multiple wrecks and saved his car from spinning out after getting loose in traffic. At one point, he narrowly avoided a Josh Williams crash directly in front of him.
Afterward, when asked about the close calls, Caruth laughed.
“I don’t know. I’ve been saying like which time?” Caruth said in a video shared by Matt Weaver. “It’s been too frequently the last couple weeks. But I don’t know. The car’s got great grip, so just was keeping up with it.”
His ability to maintain control caught the attention of NASCAR legend Mark Martin, who praised Caruth publicly on social media.
“Today [Rajah Caruth] made a fan for life out of me,” Martin wrote. “Some of the most car control I’ve seen in all my years. I wonder if he listens to any Gucci Mane. If not I’ve got a playlist to share.”
High praise from a Hall of Fame driver underscores what many observers are beginning to notice: Caruth is not just surviving at the front of the pack — he belongs there.
“I’m Here to Win”
Despite the spotlight, Caruth remains focused on results rather than attention.
When asked about the idea that if he can’t “win the show,” he can at least “be the show,” Caruth pushed back.
“I don’t totally agree with that. I’m here to win,” he said. “I don’t necessarily like all the spotlight or trying to be the most exciting, but definitely learned a lot. I was proud of being aggressive and not just sitting in line, because I watched too many of these races with guys just sitting in line. There’s being patient, but like you’ve got to be on the ball a little bit.
“That was my mentality. There’s times to be chill, but I was trying to be more aggressive, as calculated as possible.”
That calculated aggression was evident all race long. Caruth consistently picked up positions, timed his moves well, and put himself in contention without overextending.
Second in the Standings After Atlanta
Caruth’s strong start has him sitting second in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings after two races.
Top 5 Standings After Atlanta
- Austin Hill – 104 points
- Rajah Caruth – 82 points (-22)
- Sheldon Creed – 80 points (-24)
- Jesse Love – 80 points (-24)
- Parker Retzlaff – 74 points (-30)
Caruth has two top-10 finishes in two starts, zero DNFs, and 23 laps led on the season. That kind of consistency early in the year positions him as a legitimate contender as the schedule shifts away from superspeedways.
Big-Picture Focus as the Season Moves Forward
With Daytona and Atlanta now in the rearview mirror, Caruth emphasized that every race matters in a championship run.
“I mean it can’t be a lame duck. You can’t write them off, because they all matter,” he said. “It reminds me of the old Cup racing I watched… watching all how those guys were just big-picture throughout the whole season, you can’t write off races, right?
“You can’t write off the road courses, you can’t write off the speedways. But at the same time you can’t take yourself out of it. Have some self-preservation because you’ve got to live to fight another day. So that was kind of my mentality.”
That maturity may be the most impressive part of Caruth’s early-season surge. He is balancing aggression with awareness, racing hard while keeping the long view in mind.
Two races in, Rajah Caruth has momentum, confidence, and now a stage win to his name. If Atlanta was any indication, this could be the year he transitions from promising talent to weekly contender — and possibly much more.