← The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
INTERVIEW: Interview: Rajah Caruth Talks NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race, HBCU Pride, Authenticity, Bubba Wallace + More
00:32:36
Loading summary
Transcript240 lines
- [00:00]
Lauren LaRosa
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Raja Karut
Guaranteed Human bettering your business takes working with the best.
- [00:07]
Daniel Alarcon
With the James Hardy alliance, you gain
- [00:10]
Raja Karut
access to leads, training, networking and support from the number one brand of siding in North America. Achieve new levels of success by joining the James Hardy alliance today.
- [00:19]
Lauren LaRosa
Then she says, have you seen a
- [00:21]
Raja Karut
photo of my son?
- [00:22]
Lauren LaRosa
And I'm like, who is this person?
- [00:24]
Boys and Girls Podcast Host
Welcome to the boys and girls podcast. Arranged marriage is basically a reality show and you're auditioning for your soulmate. And who's judging? Only your entire family. I sacrificed myself to this ancient tradition, hoping to find love the right way. And instead I found chaos, comedy and a lot of cringe. Listen to boys and Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:50]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
This women's History Month. The podcast Keep it positive Sweetie celebrates the power of women, choosing healing, purpose and faith. Even when life gets messy, love is not a destination.
- [01:00]
DJ Envy
You have to work on it every day.
- [01:01]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
Keep it Positive Sweetie creates space for honest convers, conversations on self worth, love, growth, and navigating life with grace and grit, led by women who uplift, inspire, and tell the truth out loud.
- [01:13]
DJ Envy
I have several conversations with God and I know why it took 20 years
- [01:19]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
to hear this and more. Listen to Keep it positive sweetie on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
- [01:28]
Daniel Alarcon
I'm Daniel Alarcon and this is my friend. He's much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far, but I'm John Green, co host of the podcast the Away with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast the away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together we'll find out why of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:58]
Amber Grimes
It's the new me and it's the old them. This women's history Month. The podcast if you knew better with Amber Grimes spotlights women who turn missteps into momentum and into power.
- [02:09]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
My, like, tunnel vision of, like, I gotta achieve this was off the strengths
- [02:12]
Raja Karut
of, like, I want to make a
- [02:13]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
better life for us.
- [02:14]
Amber Grimes
If you knew better brings real talk from women who've lived it, unpacking, career pivots, relationship lessons, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to if you knew better with Amber grimes on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:29]
Lauren LaRosa
Hold up.
- [02:30]
Charlamagne Tha God
Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. Y' all finished or y' all done?
- [02:36]
DJ Envy
Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lauren Larose is here as well. We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed, the brother, Raja Carruth. Welcome.
- [02:47]
Raja Karut
Morning. Morning.
- [02:48]
DJ Envy
How you feeling?
- [02:49]
Raja Karut
Great. Thank you guys for having me on.
- [02:51]
DJ Envy
Now, who is Raja Karu? For people that don't know.
- [02:53]
Raja Karut
So, like you said, my name is Raja. I was born in Atlanta, but grew up in D.C. and I guess I do many things, but mainly currently I race in NASCAR, so. But yeah, HBCU graduate, grew up in D.C. and racing at NASCAR, second highest level.
- [03:08]
DJ Envy
And how did you get into NASCAR? Like, what, what got you into it?
- [03:11]
Charlamagne Tha God
I think it's. I want to say something. Your story is very ill because you, you. You used to drive the simulator.
- [03:17]
Raja Karut
Yeah.
- [03:17]
Charlamagne Tha God
You turn virtual racing into a real life career.
- [03:21]
Raja Karut
Yeah. Have you all seen the Gran Turismo movie?
- [03:23]
Charlamagne Tha God
Yep.
- [03:23]
Raja Karut
It's pretty much like that. Just 10 years, I guess, down the line. Coming from Caribbean parents, my dad's right here in the back. Being from St. Vincent, that's crazy because
- [03:33]
DJ Envy
in Gran Turismo, his parents were Caribbean too.
- [03:35]
Raja Karut
Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, like you said, Charlamagne. I grew up watching racing. I was a big fan, but I mean, I played other sports. Like, I played basketball, ran track, play soccer, but I always loved racing. And since I grew up in dc, there wasn't any tracks or anything nearby, so I had to get it from racing online and learning how to drive from the computer.
- [03:53]
Charlamagne Tha God
So is that something you wanted to do or. The love came from just being on
- [03:58]
Raja Karut
the sim now the love came from, like, the cars, movie, watching races on tv. I went to my first race at Richmond and when I was probably 12. So that's where the love really, really grew. And I mean, I'd watch everything I could about racing, from, like, sports talk shows to people playing the games online. I just was a deep, deep fan of racing.
- [04:17]
Charlamagne Tha God
Did you ever steal your father's car?
- [04:19]
Raja Karut
No. I mean, I never, I never drove. So I was 15 years old. I mean, you could just take the metro or walk or get lime scooters in D.C. so, I mean, you don't really need to drive just like here.
- [04:28]
Lauren LaRosa
So what's, what's your, like, day to day like at work? So, like, how does it as a NASCAR driver? So you go. You don't clock in, like normal? Like, what is a Normal day in the life of a NASCAR driver.
- [04:39]
Raja Karut
So basically for like, we train like endurance athletes. So we'll have our, you know, Mondays through Thursdays, whenever we return from the previous race weekend, we'll have our pre and post race debriefs with our teams. Because I think compared to other sports, racing is so different, where the driver is a key factor, but also is the car and the team and your pit crew. So we have all our meetings with, with our engineers, our crew chiefs that are over the car development, but also our pit crew members to analyze how they can improve, how we can improve behind the wheel, and how we can get the car better. We have simulator training at our Chevy facility. Well, with. Every manufacturer has a big kind of training facility where we have our simulators, corporate offices, all pretty much based in North Carolina. And for us and me being at Chevy, I mean, we're there. I'm there Monday through Thursday where we're training, we're on the simulators, we're having our meetings with our race teams, and that's kind of our week to week basis. And then we leave on Thursdays or Fridays to go travel to wherever we race. We were at Vegas last weekend. We're in Darlington, South Carolina this weekend. So, yeah, it's a, It's a traveling circus for the whole year, pretty much.
- [05:48]
Charlamagne Tha God
They call you very analytical and very composed.
- [05:52]
Raja Karut
I'm. I'm a nerd.
- [05:54]
Charlamagne Tha God
I don't like the. I mean, I give. I know people like to use that word, but I like, I like smart people. But how does that help you on the racetrack?
- [06:01]
Raja Karut
I guess, I guess to be super calculated is the way that, that helps. You have to obviously use your instincts. Right. Because everything is happening within splits of a seconds, moving at hundreds of miles per hour with the wall being right next to you, other cars being right next to you, the wind being super turbulent. Yeah. You have to be super aware of what's going on. And I think it speaks to my personality, but also my preparation of just being that calculated and prepared for whatever situations may arise.
- [06:28]
Charlamagne Tha God
So how close is this simulated to actually being on the track?
- [06:31]
Raja Karut
I'd say it's pretty close, but it's. You can never replicate real life because there's weather, there's maybe a new bump that develops in a racetrack that you can't forecast. There's new rule changes every time. But what's great about the simulator is that the one we have at Chevrolet, it has our. Literally every part and piece of the car is replicated on there to where we can drive and change, whether it's a piece of the suspension, move, a body panel, a certain way to see if it'll work in real Life. And then nine times out of 10, it's perfect for what we have to do at the racetrack. So it's super, super important, and it's great practice for us drivers just to be able to get repetition on the corners. It's kind of like tap dancing with how we're using the brake and the gas pedal and all the instruments in the car.
- [07:14]
DJ Envy
Salute to John Cohen. He's a black race car owner. He owns a team. New York City race team is his team. He was telling me how difficult it is to find members because he was like, it's so detailed. So break down. You talked about the team, how important everybody is from the pit crew and what they have to do, but if they mess up, that affects your time.
- [07:32]
Raja Karut
It ends the whole race.
- [07:33]
DJ Envy
So break that down. Because people only see the driver at most of the times. But if your crew ain't right, if this ain't right, if the guy you're talking to ain't right. So break that down of how detailed and how difficult that that part is.
- [07:44]
Raja Karut
Yeah, for sure. It's. It's very similar to, I think, special teams in the NFL. I mean, every member of the team is important, from our hauler driver that drives the equipment to the racetrack and making sure it gets there safe to our spotters that are on top of the highest point on the track and communicating with those drivers to our pit crew members. Like you mentioned, if one of our wheels aren't tight, then that's a day ender, whether it's damaging the wheel or causing us to crash. Not to mention how important it is to have the car set up as close as it can be to, you know, be able to drive to the front. So our teams are super important. And as much as the driver is the face, racing is as much of a team sport as anything because it's not just the, the one star person. It's. It's the whole team that, that matters and helps to get the job done.
- [08:27]
DJ Envy
How competitive is it? You know, we look at these movies, right, and we see these races and they're cutting each other off and they're cursing out. And sometimes you see them fighting after. How competitive is it and what's the respect level on, on the, on the track? Like, sometimes they're cutting off. Like, you're not supposed to do that, but I just thought it is what it is.
- [08:43]
Raja Karut
Yeah. I mean, there's definitely, definitely different etiquette. And then you kind of see the old. The old guard of drivers being different from the new guard of drivers. And it kind of speaks to people's personalities, right? Where there's. There's a certain situation where, hey, I'm gonna do this to you, because I know you would do it to me, whether it's throwing a block or putting somebody in a tight scenario. So it's just different etiquettes. Everybody's got different etiquettes. And I think what's cool about NASCAR is it's a contact sport where in. In other forms of racing, Whether it's Formula One, IndyCar, the racing etiquette is just different just because of contact sport.
- [09:16]
DJ Envy
Contact means we touching each other.
- [09:18]
Raja Karut
Yeah, it's normal. They do that with the cars is normal. If anything you can. At certain tracks, like Atlanta or Daytona, it's important to push somebody else because it gives yourself a better chance at winning. So there's. There's levels to the contact that are required, not. Not every time, because then you'll damage your car and it'll be slower. But it's. It's important because it's just that. The true etiquette of. Of the racing of NASCAR that makes it super cool.
- [09:44]
Lauren LaRosa
So you know how, like, with basketball players, like, or football players, right, when you're training, you watching tape, you kind of know what players do. What. So you know what drivers like, their little tricks.
- [09:51]
Raja Karut
Exactly. Stuff. Yeah. So we have, like, a GPS program that records every race, and you can look at every car and see literally every lap of the race and see. All right, they decided to do this move here because of what they saw in front of them or what they felt in the car. We can see how they're steering, how they're braking, how they're using the gas, the literally the G forces that they're creating in the car. It's. That's our. Our way to study film. It's just analyzing each race, every practice, every time trial, time trial session. That. That's kind of the equivalent for it for us. What's been the biggest challenge stepping into the. The NASCAR national spotlight? Honestly, the regular track, I would say for me, it's. I'm a pretty introverted person, so being comfortable with being as approachable at the racetrack to fans was an adjustment for me. But honestly, like, in the sport, like, everybody's been cool for the most part, like, because I have the interest, the passion, and the work to go with it. Like, everybody's been super cool. So I definitely will say that. To mention, you mentioned before getting to this level, it definitely was harder to get my foot in the door from a. Not only starting so late, but coming from my background, that made it in immensely more harder than it would be for. Maybe I shouldn't say that because everybody's grind is different, but I think personally, like, it was way harder to get in the door than it has been to kind of climb through the ladder.
- [11:15]
Charlamagne Tha God
How did you get your foot in the door?
- [11:16]
DJ Envy
I was going to ask. How did you get your foot in the door?
- [11:19]
Raja Karut
Yeah. So for me, I started racing on the simulator. I was 15 or 16, and I started to go to races and hand out business cards and say, hey, I'm a young driver trying to make a name for myself racing online. NASCAR had a driver development program that I applied for in 2019, and they had a whole combine tryout where it was not just how well you can drive, it's what your. Your physicality is, how strong you are, how you handle press, how you handle your team, communication, just seeing all the. All the traits that are required to really be a successful driver. And I did well enough in that program in 2019 to come on and get developed through the kind of regional levels of nascar, where we raced in parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, just kind of getting the real sticks of it. And that's really how I got started. So. And that was super hard just because I was coming from growing up in D.C. where, I mean, I just. I was. It was normal to exist. Right. And being in those places where I was not only a lot of times the youngest person, but the youngest black person in the room where. I mean, I moved from D.C. when I was 18. I was living in North Carolina by myself while I was going to school at Winston, at the race shop, at the track. I was pretty much a lot of times the only person that look like me. So I think that was a. Definitely a challenge to get started. But it just really allowed me to get confident in my identity, really. My Caribbean background, my raising, my education. And that helped me really persevere.
- [12:47]
Charlamagne Tha God
Let's talk about that. Right? You came through simulation like you said, and you're a young black man. Do you ever feel like you're disrupting the culture of NASCAR or do you feel pressure to prove you belong in it?
- [12:57]
Raja Karut
I think I'm definitely breaking the mold for sure. And I really have an appreciation for the teams that I'm at where they've seen me as. Not just as a. As a. Not as I'm only here for a certain reason, they see me for not only my ability, but how I'm showing up and how I'm prepared to perform and taking the accountability and doing the work and really performing well when it matters the most.
- [13:20]
Charlamagne Tha God
So. So when you walk in a garage, right, that historically hasn't looked like you. Are you thinking about winning races? Are you just trying to change narratives?
- [13:29]
Raja Karut
I think they work hand in hand. I think the success on the track is going to help everything else. And I have such a deep appreciation for the sport of NASCAR in particular and racing as a whole, that I know all the other stuff will come naturally as long as I keep the main thing, the main thing, which is trying to be the best driver that I can.
- [13:49]
Charlamagne Tha God
You heard what he said, Keep the main thing, the main thing. That's a jewel. A lot of people don't do that. You know what I mean? They try to do all the side quests. You gotta keep the main thing, the main thing.
- [13:56]
Lauren LaRosa
I saw Bubba Wallace praise you for opening the season with the top. With three top 10 finishes while driving for two different teams. And we know that he's had, like, you know, issues when it comes to race and different things within nascar. What's your relationship like with Bubba?
- [14:10]
Raja Karut
Yeah, that's a big bro. That's a big bro. I mean, literally, from my first ever regional race, he's been there every. Every step of the way. And it's super important to have somebody like that in your corner that's paying attention and knows kind of the. The cards you've been dealt.
- [14:23]
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah.
- [14:23]
Raja Karut
And it's been great to have him in my corner. And I mean, we. Although we're at 2, he's with Toyota, I'm with Chevrolet. I mean, he's been there every step of the way for me. So that's big bro. And it's been great because the things that he's had to endure, he's allowed it to where for drivers like myself, like Lavar Scott, that are in the wings and coming up that we don't have to deal with, with those certain things and the. In that same vein, that's how Wendell Scott did it for him and Willie T. Ribs and Bill Lester and all those, you know, before us.
- [14:52]
Charlamagne Tha God
Is that car sponsorship thing, like, really that big of a deal? Because you said it like Crips just now. You like, I'm Chevy.
- [14:58]
Raja Karut
And he told you, like, I mean, it's serious. It's serious because, I mean, the manufacturers are really what drive NASCAR at the end of the day where in other sports, right, there's the owners of the teams. I think the owners of NASCAR are a big deal as well, but so are the manufacturers, because, I mean, those are the cars that we're driving at the end of the day. So that's a big role. They play a huge, huge role in our sport.
- [15:22]
Charlamagne Tha God
Can you switch sides or you got to be Chevy for life?
- [15:24]
Raja Karut
I mean, I don't want to leave Chevy for sure. I mean, it's not uncommon for people to leave manufacturers, and that can be because, hey, the team closed or they need a swap or they have a new guy that bumps an old guy out of the seat. So it's kind of more a case by case scenario. But what's different in NASCAR compared to other sports is that right in the NBA, the NFL, mlb, you have these annual drafts, and there's always a rotation of young talent. In racing, there's only 40 guys at the cup level, and there's maybe one or two seats that turn over on an annual basis. So there's just a lot of young drivers trying to come up through the ladder and very few spots to go into. So you have to set yourself apart. And that's why, for the most part, you don't see a young driver in the cup series that is 18 every. You only see that every once in a while. Otherwise, you only see drivers make their first cup starts when they're mid-20s, plus or minus a few years, maybe even early 30s, just because of how there's not as much turnover at the top level.
- [16:25]
Charlamagne Tha God
What's the biggest mental adjustment you had to make? When the consequences from just being able to reset the game turning. I'm actually in a car and I'm. This is real life.
- [16:35]
Raja Karut
That's a great question. Literally, my, my. My second race, I hit the wall on the second lap and I was like, dang, this is not as easy as I thought it would be. I remember like the first time I flipped, the first time I crashed somebody else or myself. But those experiences are like super important because those mistakes allow you not to make them again. And those lessons are super important. So adjusting from the sim to real life, honestly, it wasn't too hard from an athletic standpoint because I had that background of playing other sports growing up. So I wasn't tired from a physical stance. It just was what immensely required to be aware of how the tire feels, how you feel in air, and the spacing of being close to the wall or other people. I think that was the adjustment that I had to make as I, you know, grew my experience racing regionally before going to the, the national level.
- [17:24]
DJ Envy
Now you said flipped over. What happened with that race?
- [17:27]
Raja Karut
Okay, so that race, I was in a dirt race where it was, it was a race for practice and we, a lot of times NASCAR drivers will go race on dirt, race, go karts, race other forms of racing to really get better at what we do. And I was racing on dirt and I somebody hit the wall and I tried to avoid him and it's dirt. So you like can't really stop. And I, next thing I knew I was like barreling and it is that scary? No, it just hurt.
- [17:55]
DJ Envy
It wasn't scary.
- [17:56]
Raja Karut
Yeah. I mean, no. The thing is, the thing about flipping is it's not the flipping that is the issue is if when you stop abruptly or you land, that's the part where people get hurt, whether they land, you know, flat on the bottom of the. Yeah, the impact and they'll have back injuries and stuff like that or have a, just a sudden stop. So if anything, flipping isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just whenever you abruptly stop. So didn't feel great. But now I know.
- [18:21]
Charlamagne Tha God
How do you know you're not going to die?
- [18:23]
Raja Karut
Yeah, I mean we have faith in our safety. I mean there's so many advancements that they've made over the last 25 years that make it aware.
- [18:33]
DJ Envy
We know parents want to feel confident as their teens navigate social media. With Instagram teen accounts, teens get automatic protections by default. Teens between the ages of 13 to 17 are automatically put into a protective experience. That means they get built in content settings for what they see, contact limits on who can contact them, and time management tools like daily time limit reminders, as well as sleep mode which mutes notifications from 10pm to 7am plus, teens under 16 need a parent's permission to change any of these settings to be less strict. Instagram continues to work on building new safety features to help create age appropriate experiences for teens. Learn more about teen accounts and Instagram's ongoing work to help protect teens online@instagram.com teenaccounts what up everybody? It's DJ Emmy from the Breakfast Club. Now, you know me and my wife, married 24 years and together over 30. And yes, we still speak on the phone every day. I mean, the early days I didn't have a cell phone. I couldn't afford a cell phone and the cell phones were like the size of a man's purse. But anyway, I love speaking to my wife over the phone. People say we talk too much, but that's my best friend. Why shouldn't we be able to talk all the time? All day long? 24, 7. But did you know that 2026 will mark the 150th anniversary of the first ever phone call. It took place March 10, 1876. And that call sparked it all for the first long distance phone lines. The first lines across America, the first line across the Atlantic, the first round the world called, the first commercial cell Service, the first 911 system. AT&T has been connecting people for 150 years in so many different ways. Thank God we have cell phones. I can connect to my moms, my pops, and my whole family. Thank you. AT&T.
- [20:14]
Lauren LaRosa
Connecting changes everything.
- [20:16]
Raja Karut
AT&T.
- [20:17]
State Farm Narrator
This past weekend, like every other Sunday, you were on the court with the guys, playing ball. Just a pickup game, living out your hoop dreams. No triple doubles, but a mean set of threes in between buckets. One of the homies mentions he closed on a new crib. This is big. And while everyone's asking about the housewarming and making plans to celebrate, you're asking the real questions. Like, has he spoke to his State Farm agent yet about coverage? See, home ownership is one thing, but the right coverage is the real game changer. Even more than your last hot streak is how you protect your legacy. Dropping buckets and bars on the court. A State Farm agent can more than assist you with finding the right coverage for your new place. If you have a claim, your local agent can help you file it. Yep, that's right. Over the phone, in person, online, or on the app, they're ready to help you. And they don't drop the ball, if you know what I mean. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [21:20]
Lauren LaRosa
Hey, y'.
- [21:21]
Raja Karut
All. What's up?
- [21:21]
Lauren LaRosa
It's Lauren LaRosa. Okay, let's talk curls for a second. Because you already know if you have curly or coily hair, moisture is not optional. It's essential. Dryness is one of the biggest challenges for curly hair and most products. They clock out after wash day. The new Ultra moisture collection was literally designed with our hair in mind. Curls, coils, all of it powered by Botano oil and Jamaican Black castor oil. Which means the science is actually doing the work. Clinically proven to help retain moisture for up to five days. Five whole days. The shampoo gently cleanses without stripping. The mask deeply conditions and helps reduce breakage. The leave in adds a lightweight hydration with hyaluronic acid. And the curl cream defines without crunch no sulfates, no parabens, no silicones, no mineral oil. Just nourishment without the compromise. Because here's the thing. Your hair deserves products that actually understand it. Moisture that starts at the root and keeps going. Well past Sunday, that's the ultra moisture collection from Cantu. Explore their full line built for every curl pattern, every hair routine available now at Walmart, Target and Amazon. Go get it.
- [22:30]
Nissan Narrator
Peace of mind starts with knowing what supports the journey is steady, grounded and dependable, especially during seasons of change. That's why Nissan engineers push their vehicles to the limit, to demonstrate quality, reliability and durability, making those principles a foundation across every vehicle built. That commitment has earned recognition from J.D. power, ranking Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands. Because when trust is built into the foundation, it creates more space to move through life with clarity, confidence and intention, getting the most out of the journey wherever it unfolds. For J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com forward/awards Awards based on 2025 model year, newer models may be shown.
- [23:16]
Raja Karut
It's not a thing that, I mean, we don't take it for granted for sure, but the cars are way safer than they used to be. I mean, our head and neck restraint systems are super good. I mean, we're, our seats are literally crafted to our, our stature, our bodies. So we're like, we're literally not like locked in the seat, but like pretty much memory foam to our body to make sure that we're not moving around a lot whenever we have those crashes. And that was the worst thing that ever happened to you? Like the worst accident that you've had? Well, yeah, so far, yeah. Yeah. I mean, and crashes are honestly just a part of racing. I mean, you, that's something you accept because it's just part of what we do. I mean, we're going so fast, we're so close to each other, there's bound to be incidents from time to time. I mean, I crashed two weeks ago. I mean, it's, it's normal.
- [24:01]
Lauren LaRosa
You say so regularly.
- [24:03]
DJ Envy
So when, when you're not racing and you're in your personal car, do people pull up to you and be like, let's race, because they know it's you?
- [24:10]
Raja Karut
Honestly, no. But the thing is, I don't have like a, a super fast, like normal car kind of car you got. I have, well, I have a Chevy Traverse, but my, my fun car is a Chevy SS 2017. And that car is nice because I can just keep it on like the Tour like, easy gas mode, so it's not super loud, but I can, like, change the exhaust with a little dial in there to, like, you know, open them up and have it be a little bit louder.
- [24:34]
Charlamagne Tha God
But you're not even allowed to drive nothing but Chevy, period.
- [24:37]
Raja Karut
I mean, I'm sure you could, but I mean, I like. No, I know. I mean, I could, but I mean, I don't really want to. I like to like what I've got right now.
- [24:45]
Charlamagne Tha God
It's like being signed to Jordan. Why would you wear sneakers if you signage.
- [24:48]
Raja Karut
Great point. Exactly.
- [24:49]
Charlamagne Tha God
So when you.
- [24:50]
DJ Envy
When you're on the regular road, you chilling like, you ain't even.
- [24:52]
Raja Karut
Yeah. I mean, the thing is that I. I have to be more patient on the regular road because I know just the general, like, IQ isn't as high as the racetrack and just the overall awareness of. Of the road. Like, somebody could try to merge lanes and not know there's somebody, like, right there in their blind spot or. Actually, I was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago, and I was getting over on the, like, exit, going to the airport, like, 242 or whatever on 85, and I literally saw a crash happening before it happened. I'm like, watch. This person is going to try to get in this hole, and lo and behold, they all crash. So.
- [25:27]
Charlamagne Tha God
So physically, you still got to kind of, like, be in shape, right?
- [25:30]
Raja Karut
For sure.
- [25:31]
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah.
- [25:31]
Raja Karut
Yeah. I mean, for. For the drivers, because we race for three hours at a time, we have such long. Such long periods of time where we're having to focus on driving the car that you can't be thinking about how you feel because then you're going to lose focus. So for us, like, obviously our cardio has got to be in check, but we have to have, like, a good baseline of strength because of the G forces we're feeling. We have our helmets, our belts, three layers of fireproof gear where it's like hundreds of degrees in the car, and you have to just be able to deal with all that and be mentally clear and not have any fog to be able to perform.
- [26:07]
DJ Envy
So those races three hours long? Sometimes.
- [26:09]
Raja Karut
Yeah, three, if not more. I'd personally don't.
- [26:13]
DJ Envy
Because if you race, some people, a
- [26:15]
Raja Karut
lot of people just sweat. Like, they sweat so they don't have to every once in a while. I've heard drivers talk about, like, peeing on themselves, but me personally, no, that's crazy.
- [26:23]
Charlamagne Tha God
You sweat out pee?
- [26:24]
Raja Karut
No, no, no, no, no.
- [26:25]
DJ Envy
Like, sweat out the fluids.
- [26:27]
Raja Karut
The fluids. That's what I mean.
- [26:28]
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, you can do that.
- [26:29]
DJ Envy
That can replace P. I guess so.
- [26:31]
Raja Karut
I don't know, because P is in
- [26:33]
Charlamagne Tha God
the bladder, you know.
- [26:34]
Raja Karut
Well, right. Yeah. I'm saying, like. Like before, like. And plus so much adrenaline that you're not really thinking about having a girl.
- [26:40]
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah.
- [26:41]
Raja Karut
But, like, usually after the race, like, once your adrenaline dies down, it's like, all right, I gotta use the bathroom. But usually not really while. While you're driving.
- [26:47]
Charlamagne Tha God
I'm a guy who loves therapy. I love meditation and stuff like that. So does that play a role too?
- [26:50]
Raja Karut
For sure.
- [26:51]
Charlamagne Tha God
Mentally and emotionally, you got to be 100.
- [26:53]
Raja Karut
Yeah. I've had a therapist now for three, four years, and a black woman at that. And it's been such a great addition to my life to know that, like, I can grind and put all that I have into this racing thing, but know that there's more to me and there's more out there than the racing thing, and it's great because there's not as much of a pressure of. Of. Of sacrifice where I don't feel like there's nothing else or I'm nothing without my. My job or my profession. And. And she's done a great job and added a lot of value to my life, and I highly recommend that for a lot of people.
- [27:27]
Charlamagne Tha God
Same.
- [27:28]
Raja Karut
It's. It's been such a great tool, like you mentioned, just to have that mental awareness of your emotions, and you. You grow. A lot of us athletes and. And business professionals, like, grind so hard at our jobs that I think a lot of times people pass on how they're mentally feeling and checking in. And so I think that's something that's super important.
- [27:52]
Charlamagne Tha God
What led you to it there?
- [27:54]
Raja Karut
I had a lot of people or a few people in my life that really recommended me doing it, and I just was. I kind of just ripped the band aid off and said, why not? And that was a great time. That was a second year at Winston Salem State, and that was just a perfect time to add that to my life. What. What else do you do other than race car? Yeah, I mean, I love going outside, so I'm. Well, not hunting, but, like, I like being in nature, so going on runs, bike rides, hikes. I love going outside. Growing up in D.C. like, Rock Creek park is, like, right in the middle of the city, so I spent a lot of time there, like, biking and going on runs for track and stuff in school through there. And I love basketball and really just all DC Sports. So I'm a sports fan. Also love, like, comic books and stuff. So all the MCU DC stuff. I saw the Spider man trailer. This one looks. It looks hard. Yeah, it's so excited. So. But yeah, I love, you know, comic books and superhero movies and all that stuff too and. And yeah,
- [28:56]
Charlamagne Tha God
comics. Oh, I gotta put you on the milestone comics. Static shock and hardware.
- [29:02]
Raja Karut
I got, I just got static shock, but I'm starting absolute Batman right now.
- [29:05]
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh, with. With static shot. And yeah, the other Batman. I got the first issue.
- [29:12]
Raja Karut
Yeah, same. I just started that. So.
- [29:14]
DJ Envy
And what's, what's your relationship with Roc Nation? I see the pin here. Are you signing Roc Nation?
- [29:18]
Raja Karut
Nah, but I just, I mean, I get a lot of plains merch and, and I love the, the products. So. Yeah, I've known Lenny and Tito and all them for, for a while and they've been super, super cool to me and went to the Gold party a couple nights ago in la and that was a lot of fun as well.
- [29:33]
Charlamagne Tha God
You know, NASCAR is as much about sponsorship as it is about skill. How do you balance being authentic while still while also being marketable?
- [29:41]
Raja Karut
I think for it I've been fortunate because I can just be myself and that takes care of it. I think you have to be comfortable with doing things that are out of your comfort zone for the greater good of not only the sport, but your brand. And like I said, I'm pretty fortunate because I can just be myself and naturally, with my background and who I represent and my interests and whatnot, like that naturally happens. So like you mentioned with how the car is so important with our manufacturers and stuff, the sponsorship is super important as well. So you got to show these brands that, hey, you're getting not just a great driver, but a great spokesperson for your brand and a good athlete and all the intangibles that come that come with it.
- [30:21]
Lauren LaRosa
If somebody is like coming up and wants to be in your position with nascar, what should they be doing, like branding wise, like on social and stuff like that, outside his learning skill, I
- [30:32]
Raja Karut
think you just got to set yourself apart. Where for me, my background was sim racing. So I mean, I've been twitch streaming for years. I mean, from when I had five viewers to now, you know, 100 or so, where I'm just streaming while I'm driving and racing and talking to people in the chat. And that's something that other others can do, whether it's documenting their days at the go kart track or hey, this is the workout I did or this is the film that I studied. Just kind of showcasing what makes them unique. I think is the biggest thing that that works. There's so many. There's so much uniqueness out there that I don't think that people need to try to follow directly what other drivers or what other people do. I think it's important to keep that identity, that. And just be themselves. And at the end of the day,
- [31:14]
Charlamagne Tha God
you know, there aren't a lot of black drivers at your level. Do you embrace that responsibility or do you for sure just race without carrying that weight?
- [31:22]
Raja Karut
I'm just not weight. I think it's a responsibility I cherish. I think it's, it's. For me to have more people like us at the track is. Is fun because I have that love for racing. And if I can share that to more of us, then I can, you know, I can be very proud of that.
- [31:36]
Lauren LaRosa
In your line of work, do you ever experience burnout? Like, not physical burnout, like the car, but, you know, like. Okay, because for sure. What. How do you deal with that though, because your job is so physical?
- [31:45]
Raja Karut
That's a great question. I think for us, I mean, we go literally from Valentine's Day to the first week of November, like only a couple off weeks. And luckily, I would say probably a third of the schedule are. Since we're all based in Charlotte or around the Charlotte area. Well, there's a third of the schedule where we'll be able to just drive to the races where they're only like two or three hours at most away from the. The Mecca area. So that helps with like the travel burnout. But that's why you got to have other things in a good like, circle of life to go with you and not just be all work. Whether, like, for me, whether it's just to go to the Y and get shots up or play the game or watch other sports. I think you have to have that circle of life personally with your family, your friends, to where you have other things going on and your emotions and your attitude isn't defined by how good or bad the previous races go. That's why I asked you what you do.
- [32:34]
DJ Envy
Cause I know this takes up a
- [32:36]
Raja Karut
lot of your time. Yeah, definitely. Definitely.
- [32:39]
Charlamagne Tha God
Well, I am proud to say that this weekend at the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series on Saturday, Araja will compete in a Black Effect podcast network. Randy Chevrolet Camaro. I can't wait to see Black Effect running around.
- [32:56]
DJ Envy
You have a picture of so we can see it. I would love to see it. It's fine. I can't wait to see it.
- [33:02]
Lauren LaRosa
And you designed the rap with the
- [33:03]
Raja Karut
brand personally, I did not personally design It. But it's fire.
- [33:06]
Charlamagne Tha God
It's fireman.
- [33:07]
DJ Envy
You went out there for the race.
- [33:08]
Charlamagne Tha God
I think I am. I didn't want to tell everybody that, but. Yeah.
- [33:12]
DJ Envy
What part of where's the race at?
- [33:14]
Charlamagne Tha God
It's in Darlington.
- [33:14]
Raja Karut
Darlington, South Carolina. Not too far from Charleston.
- [33:17]
Charlamagne Tha God
It's like. Like maybe hour 45.
- [33:21]
DJ Envy
How far from Riley?
- [33:22]
Raja Karut
That's not far from Raleigh.
- [33:23]
Charlamagne Tha God
Look at that.
- [33:25]
Raja Karut
Probably.
- [33:25]
Lauren LaRosa
Oh, that is so four hours.
- [33:31]
Raja Karut
Five. Five on Saturday.
- [33:32]
Lauren LaRosa
And it's like the jackets.
- [33:33]
DJ Envy
I'll be out in the Carolinas this weekend. Let me see.
- [33:36]
Charlamagne Tha God
This is very disruptive.
- [33:38]
DJ Envy
Oh, that's hard.
- [33:38]
Lauren LaRosa
It's real sleek.
- [33:39]
Charlamagne Tha God
That's very disruptive.
- [33:41]
Raja Karut
Hell, yeah. Black and white. Yeah. Black and fat.
- [33:44]
Charlamagne Tha God
Very disruptive.
- [33:44]
Raja Karut
I like the black cars.
- [33:46]
DJ Envy
Congratulations, man. I love that.
- [33:47]
Raja Karut
Yeah, I appreciate it.
- [33:48]
DJ Envy
I'm gonna be in Carolina. Let me see if I could pull up. I would love to see that. What's up?
- [33:52]
Charlamagne Tha God
When it. When it's.
- [33:53]
Raja Karut
Well, I gotta say thank you. I gotta say thank you. You know, I think for me, like, I. I met Chico last year, or actually a couple years ago from 85 south at Winston Salem, and. Yeah.
- [34:05]
Charlamagne Tha God
And Dolly Bishop, the president of the Black Affair.
- [34:07]
Raja Karut
Yeah, that's dope. Yeah. So, yeah, I definitely been familiar with you guys, and I'm super excited to. To showcase y' all this weekend.
- [34:13]
Charlamagne Tha God
No, man, I love. I love what you represent. Like, you know, even outside of just, you know, driving the car, just the fact that, you know, the way you carry yourself and just how smart you are, I just think that I appreciate that, you know?
- [34:25]
Raja Karut
Yeah.
- [34:25]
Charlamagne Tha God
What does success look like for you beyond trophies?
- [34:29]
Raja Karut
I think for me, I've really learned, and this is something therapy has helped me with, is that to define success outside of the. The accolades and the stats on the track. So I think for me, if I can leave the sport whenever I'm done driving, which is hopefully a long time from now, not only better than it was when I got here, but to where we have a renowned presence in the sport, then I can be proud of how. I guess that would be success for me, because, of course, every driver, every athlete wants to be the best and be great at their profession from a stats or achievement perspective. But there's more, I guess, out there than just getting those results on the track. And they're still important because I think a lot of times without those results, you can't have the other things. But I would say the success for me is deeper than just getting the dubs on the track.
- [35:18]
Charlamagne Tha God
Another thing I want to ask you, you Went to Winston Salem and you got a degree in motorsports management. I never even heard of that.
- [35:24]
Raja Karut
It just.
- [35:25]
Lauren LaRosa
Did you graduate?
- [35:26]
Raja Karut
24.
- [35:26]
Lauren LaRosa
Okay. That's very progressive of a school to have like. That's a fire major.
- [35:31]
Raja Karut
Yeah.
- [35:32]
Charlamagne Tha God
What does that major entail?
- [35:33]
Raja Karut
So it was, it was, it's sports management, but it's focused directly on, on racing where we would have like classes about facility management of running a racetrack, learn how to like do like. I made my own sponsorship deck recently and that was from stuff I learned at school. Same with writing press releases and getting tours of race shops and really just learning the business side of racing. And that was super valuable. Not really for my driving side of things, but honestly for knowing everything else that makes the sport go around.
- [36:06]
DJ Envy
Yeah, it makes sense. Cause it's such a big town for racing. Just like Hampton has a sales team where they teach kids how to do the sails and do the boats. Oh, that's fine because it's on the water where all the boats are.
- [36:15]
Lauren LaRosa
Now that you're alumni, like how, how helpful has your HBCU community been and what you.
- [36:20]
Raja Karut
Oh, it's been so cool. I mean, it's funny because every time I go to, whether It's Richmond or St. Louis or Atlanta, any place where we have visibility, I like to just, you know, poke fun at whoever's alma maters are there. My dad, he went to Clark and he teaches at Howard, for example. And one, two of my best friends, one went to Jackson State, one went to Hampton. So I just, it's great to feel that love because although there's obviously everybody has their, their different rivalries, it's all one family at the end of the day. So it's super, it's super cool. And anytime that, I mean even going to Atlanta a couple years ago and do an event there with Clark and Spellman and Morehouse, I think it's, it's a one big family. So I love, love every aspect of it.
- [37:04]
Charlamagne Tha God
How do you think the world in nascar. I only got a couple more questions. How do you think the world in NASCAR would change if more black viewers gravitated towards it?
- [37:10]
Raja Karut
I think it'll just, you know, get some more flavor, more seasoning and it's great. I think it will, it'll just be great because the, the thing about racing is that the equalizer is the car. And I think there's not limited. I mean it's co ed. It's not limited by physical stature or background. As long as you can get your foot in the door and you have that love for the sport, then, I mean, anybody can be a part of it. So I think that's one beautiful thing about racing is that if you have that passion for it, it's a wreck, it's a barrier breaker, and it's a unifying thing in that sense.
- [37:42]
Charlamagne Tha God
Are you ready for all this national spotlight you about to get?
- [37:44]
Raja Karut
I'm gonna have to be okay. I'm gonna have to be okay.
- [37:47]
Charlamagne Tha God
Driving a car that says Black effect around the track at nascar.
- [37:51]
Raja Karut
Yeah, I can't wait. I can't wait. I cannot wait.
- [37:54]
Charlamagne Tha God
And I remember when Bubba Wallace was. There was a noose in his locker. Yeah, his garage. Garage. You ever worry about stuff like that?
- [38:00]
Raja Karut
I mean, no, I think that. I mean, we'll handle whatever comes my way. I know that I've got a team or a great team and family around me to where in the very low chance that anything crazy would happen. Like, I mean, I've got a good circle of trust around me to where things will be handled.
- [38:18]
Lauren LaRosa
So have things improved on the inside? Like, since everything.
- [38:21]
Raja Karut
I think for sure, for sure. Especially like in the industry, like every industry is going to have their. I don't know how to say it. Just things that could be better for sure on the inside. But I think for the most part, and from what I've experienced, it's been solid. So especially with really, the progress we've made since really Bubba made a lot of improvements for us and statements and. And I think it's just going to continue to grow over. Over time. So I'm super proud of big Bro for sure and paving the way for. For guys like me coming up.
- [38:53]
DJ Envy
Well, good luck this weekend.
- [38:54]
Charlamagne Tha God
We're gonna be watching.
- [38:55]
DJ Envy
Make sure you check it out. What channel is it on? Charlamin, you know, cw, CW or the cw. So definitely check it out. Raja Karuf, good luck.
- [39:01]
Raja Karut
Thank you guys. Appreciate y'.
- [39:02]
DJ Envy
All. Appreciate you for joining us this morning.
- [39:04]
Charlamagne Tha God
If they want to follow you or anything, where they do that at?
- [39:06]
Raja Karut
Yeah, my website, rajakruth.com or on my socials. Roger Rajakarruth, underscore, IG, Twitch, YouTube, the whole nine. If you go on Twitch, you'll watch me racing on my simulator or playing other games and stuff like that. And then otherwise tune on to CWs pretty much every every Saturday this year.
- [39:23]
Charlamagne Tha God
Watch him race in that Black Effect podcast. Network rap. Chevy Camaro, number 32.
- [39:29]
DJ Envy
There you go.
- [39:29]
Charlamagne Tha God
You ain't gonna be able to miss it.
- [39:30]
DJ Envy
Nope, not at all. This Saturday at what time again?
- [39:34]
Raja Karut
I think it's 5 or 5:30? 5 o'? Clock?
- [39:35]
DJ Envy
Yeah, 5 o'.
- [39:36]
Charlamagne Tha God
Clock.
- [39:36]
DJ Envy
All right. Raja Karuf, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Roger Karuf, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Who's Roger? My bad.
- [39:42]
Raja Karut
Hold up.
- [39:43]
Charlamagne Tha God
Every day I wake up.
- [39:45]
Raja Karut
Wake your ass up.
- [39:45]
Charlamagne Tha God
The Breakfast Club. You're finished or y' all done.
- [39:49]
Lauren LaRosa
Then she says, have you seen a
- [39:50]
Raja Karut
photo of my son?
- [39:52]
Lauren LaRosa
And I'm like, who is this person?
- [39:53]
Boys and Girls Podcast Host
Welcome to the Boys and girls podcast. Arranged marriage is basically a reality show and you're auditioning for your soulmate. And who's judging? Only your entire family. I sacrificed myself to this ancient tradition, hoping to find love the right way.
- [40:09]
Lauren LaRosa
Way.
- [40:09]
Boys and Girls Podcast Host
And instead I found chaos, comedy, and a lot of cringe. Listen to boys and Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [40:19]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
This women's History Month. The podcast Keep it positive, Sweetie celebrates the power of women choosing healing, purpose and faith. Even when life gets messy, love is not a destination.
- [40:29]
DJ Envy
You have to work on it every day.
- [40:31]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
Keep it Positive Sweetie creates space for honest conversations on self worth, love, growth, and navigating life with grace and grit, led by women who uplift, inspire, and tell the truth out loud.
- [40:42]
DJ Envy
I have several conversations with God and I know why it took 20 years
- [40:48]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
to hear this and more. Listen to Keep it Positive sweetie on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [40:57]
Daniel Alarcon
I'm Daniel Alarcon and this is my friend. He's much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far, but I'm John Green, co host of the podcast I the away end with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast the away end, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [41:27]
Amber Grimes
It's the new me and it's the old them. This women's history Month. The podcast if you knew better with Amber Grimes spotlights women who turn missteps into mom and lessons into power.
- [41:38]
Keep it Positive Sweetie Host
My, like, tunnel vision of like, I gotta achieve this was off.
- [41:41]
Raja Karut
The strengths of like, I want to
- [41:42]
Lauren LaRosa
make a better life for us.
- [41:43]
Amber Grimes
If you knew better brings real talk from women who've lived it, unpacking, career pivots, relationship lessons, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to if you knew better with Amber grimes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [41:59]
Daniel Alarcon
Fourteen years in prison for killing a young woman. A 15 year sentence for a crash that caused three deaths. Twelve and a half years for killing a child and critically injuring her mother. All true stories, all caused by marijuana. Impaired drivers no matter what you tell yourself, if you feel different, you drive different. So if you're high, just don't drive. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council.
- [42:28]
Lauren LaRosa
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.