Hendrick Motorsports officially announce new driver deal

NASCAR Truck Series star Rajah Caruth has been announced as a Hendrick Motorsports racer for next weekend's race.

Caruth is currently going for Truck Series glory, sitting 14 points above the cut line in the playoffs, with the field being cut from 10 to eight drivers by the end of this weekend's event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

However, the Atlanta, Georgia native will step into the No.17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kansas Speedway on September 27 in what will be his 22nd Xfinity Series start.

It will be the first time that Caruth has raced with Hendrick Motorsports since the 2023 Xfinity Series season finale in Phoenix, and the 23-year-old is hoping to impress the outfit.

Caruth set for Hendrick Motorsports chance

Speaking to HendrickMotorsports.com about his new Xfinity Series opportunity, Caruth said: "I feel extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity and for me, I think about how much I've grown since the last time I was fortunate enough to drive a race car out of this building.

"I believe my experience I've accumulated the last few years in the Truck Series, and my partial Xfinity stuff will put me right where I need to be to run up front and hopefully have a good race."

Caruth continued: "Kansas is a track I've loved since the first time I was there in ARCA. I've had pace there in ARCA and probably should've won a race or two and the same with the Truck Series. But that's a place you have to be versatile with how many different lanes you can run and utilize the seams and pay attention to how the rubber lays down.

"The creativity you can have will show at a track like that. So, I'm excited for what it will be like ... I'm excited and plan to prepare like any other race."

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No. 17 returns

This will be the 17th Xfinity Series race that Hendrick Motorsports has entered with the No. 17 this year, with both Kyle Larson and William Byron winning in the car in 2025.

The car has also featured Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Corey Day, and Jake Finch on other occasions throughout the season, and has a stat line of two wins and eight top-fives.

Big shoes to fill for Caruth then, but he will be confident that he can put in an impressive showing in the series and prove that he is ready to make the step up full-time in the near future.

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