Caruth’s victory at Nashville came under extreme pressure — at least, in the eyes of everyone watching. With Caruth and the No. 71 team going into the 12th race of the season below the playoff cut line, a win, while not a necessity, would take an immense amount of pressure off his team’s shoulders.
With a pair of Truck Series title favorites in Corey Heim and Layne Riggs breathing down his neck, Caruth was cool as a cucumber, holding off the field en route to his second career victory.
“I wouldn’t say there was any extra pressure,” Caruth said. “I was just hyper-focused on executing behind the wheel. I really just wanted to get (the win) bad for my group and the partners we have.”
Caruth’s season has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Three finishes of 22nd or worse over the first four races put the No. 71 team in a points hole, but Caruth wasn’t deterred. He finished top 10 in five of the seven races leading up to Nashville before getting into victory lane and securing a playoff berth.
“I think having a good mentality and a good team culture is the biggest thing,” Caruth said. “You can definitely say we have that at Spire with our four Truck teams and our Cup cars. I’m super proud to be a part of this team.”
It wasn’t just those within the NASCAR landscape that took note of Caruth’s impressive drive at Nashville. On Monday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith — who like Caruth, graduated from Winston-Salem State University — commended Caruth’s effort on ‘First Take’.
“That was a real cool deal,” Caruth said. “I didn’t expect that at all. A few of my friends had hit me up and sent me pictures of that. That was really dope. Any time you can share some love for Winston-Salem State is awesome. (I’m) thankful for Stephen A. giving me a shout-out.”
The celebration of Caruth’s victory is solidly in the past as the No. 71 team prepares for the 13th race of the season at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. But Caruth, a native of Washington, D.C. — the same city where NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. lived before he moved to Daytona Beach, Florida — noted a few restaurants that would be his choice for a celebratory meal.
“I love Negril, it’s a Jamaican restaurant,” Caruth said. “I love the coco bread there.”
Caruth also mentioned Ben’s Chili Bowl — a D.C. staple with locations at local sporting venues including Nationals Park and Capital One Arena — as one of his preferred spots for a potential victory celebration.
Regardless of which restaurant he chooses to celebrate at, Caruth’s career seems almost guaranteed to include more victories. As the 22-year-old driver chases a Truck Series championship, his win at Nashville could be seen as the race that spurred a deep playoff run.