Rajah Caruth Moves Up to Xfinity with Split JR Motorsports–Jordan Anderson Racing Schedule
Rajah Caruth will take a major step up in 2026, running a full-season slate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series through a split program that places him in the No. 88 Chevrolet for 23 races with JR Motorsports and a 10-race stint in the No. 32 for Jordan Anderson Racing. The season-opening United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway is set for this Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 (ET), and marks the start of what could be the most consequential campaign of his career.
How the two-team arrangement works
The split schedule gives Caruth a path to a full-season championship while drawing on resources from two Chevrolet-backed teams. He will contest 23 of the 33 Xfinity events in the No. 88 and fill the remaining 10 races in the No. 32, a multi-driver program operated by Jordan Anderson Racing. That combination preserves his eligibility for the series title, and team planners have indicated that if Caruth qualifies for the 12-driver playoff field he will remain in the No. 88 throughout the Chase.
Caruth’s mindset: no pressure, just opportunity
Stepping into a high-profile seat that once belonged to a prominent driver might invite expectations, but Caruth frames the move as the culmination of years of work rather than a source of pressure. He said, “It’s really not pressure because this is where I want to be, and I’ve worked to get here for a very long time. So, I don’t think about it as pressure because the opportunities here, the chances here, the resources, the people, the time, all the things intangible and tangible are here for me to perform. ”
He continued that he plans to enjoy the ride and trust the results will follow: “I’m going to have fun, and I know the results will be there, and I’m not worried about that. I don’t feel any pressure at all. ” Caruth also noted the personal connection he has developed with team leadership, which helps ease the transition and keep the focus on performance and growth.
Resources and expectations inside the No. 88
Joining the No. 88 program places Caruth within one of the series’ most consistently competitive operations. That access to frontline engineering, simulation and pit-road support elevates expectations, but it also supplies a clear pathway to tangible results. Caruth acknowledged the advantages and framed them as tools to unlock his potential rather than added stress: he said the combination of personnel, equipment and time allows him to “push all my chips in” for strong runs across the season.
Rising through the ranks: Truck Series success and Xfinity experience
Caruth arrives with a growing résumé. He completed a full Truck Series season in 2025, driving for Spire Motorsports, where he notched one win, five top-five finishes and 13 top-10s to finish sixth in the standings after placing seventh in 2024. His limited Xfinity mileage includes three starts in 2025 split between Jordan Anderson Racing and a stint with another high-profile team, giving him 22 career Xfinity starts overall. The mixed background of Trucks and part-time Xfinity work has prepared him for a full-season push, while also underscoring the learning curve he expects in 2026.
What to watch at Daytona and beyond
Daytona’s unpredictable, high-stakes racing is a stern opening test for any driver stepping into a new role. For Caruth, the season opener will provide early data points on the split program’s chemistry and the progress he can make with two teams working in tandem. Over the course of the year the narrative will center on consistency, how quickly he adapts to the Xfinity machinery week to week, and whether the combined schedule can convert opportunity into a playoff bid and, ultimately, contention for the championship.
This season could define Caruth’s trajectory in NASCAR. With strong organizational backing, an upbeat approach and recent Truck Series success behind him, he will aim to translate promise into steady results as the 2026 Xfinity campaign unfolds.
