When seven time NASCAR champion and legend Richard Petty rides the new NASCAR float in the Tournament of Roses Parade on January 2 in Pasadena, California; he will not be alone.  Craftsman Truck Series driver Raja Caruth will be joining The King on the float.

Titled “Always Forward” the float features the NASCAR colours as the sport celebrates 75 years of racing.  Petty’s own iconic number 43 car will be on the float; along with the number three car driven by fellow seven time champion Dale Earnhardt and the Rainbow Warrior number 24 driven by Jeff Gordon.

The float also pays homage to the annual Busch Light Clash which makes a return to the Memoria Coliseum in Los Angeles and features the entrance to the Coliseum.

NASCAR Vice President of Marketing Services Patrick Rogers spoke on the float saying, “NASCAR’s 75th anniversary is all about honoring our past, celebrating our present and looking to our future.  It’s only fitting that a driver like Rajah, who represents NASCAR’s now and beyond, joins our all-time winningest driver on this historic day for our sport.”

In days past, drivers looking to race in NASCAR’s premier series spent many years and thousands of hours on dirt and short tracks hoping to be lucky enough to catch the eye of a team owner.  Often times the young “wanna be” would spend many hours sweeping the floor of the race shop until he could get his “break” and hop into a car.

Todays the young drivers coming into the sport have learned the sport via the computer and iRacing with simulators.  Rajah Caruth is one such driver and earned a spot in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program before hopping into a truck to race on a real track.

Raja Caruth spoke on his riding on the NASCAR float with Richard Petty saying, “this is going to be a great way to start 2023. It’s nothing short of an honor to ride along with Richard Petty in the Rose Parade and help introduce our sport to new audiences in Southern California and around the world.”

The NASCAR float is being constructed by Artistic Entertainment Services and stands 25 feet tall and 55 feet long.