Sports

D.C. Native Chosen for NASCAR Youth Combine

THE AFRO — While some teens dream of owning their first car to freely ride around the District and not depend on a parented escort, 16-year-old Rajah Caruth dreams of tooling his car, a race car, around a speedway in NASCAR. Caruth’s dreams are getting closer as this past weekend he had a chance to participate in NASCAR’s 2019 Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine, in Charlotte, N.C.

Published

7 years ago

April 4, 2019

Oakland Post

By George Kevin Jordan

While some teens dream of owning their first car to freely ride around the District and not depend on a parented escort, 16-year-old Rajah Caruth dreams of tooling his car, a race car, around a speedway in NASCAR.

Caruth’s dreams are getting closer as this past weekend he had a chance to participate in NASCAR’s 2019 Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine, in Charlotte, N.C.

Dozens of youth between the ages of 12 -17 from across the country competed in the trail for one of four coveted open slots on NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Development Team, which develops drivers for NASCAR’s professional racing series.

This year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine assessed participants’ on-track skills through a competitive driving experience. Each competitors’ combine performance, as well as recommendations and feedback from NASCAR and Rev Racing, which hosts the combine, factor in to the final decision on who is selected to become a member of the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Youth class.

For Caruth, racing has been on his mind and in his heart since he was little.

“I’ve been in love with racing for just a long time- it’s honestly just second nature to me,” Caruth said, adding that the Pixar Movie Cars was his first memory of liking racing- and that since then there wasn’t much about the sport he didn’t like.

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I love everything about it,” Caruth said. “It’s not just about the cool looking cars and the cool tracks. It’s the drivers going head to head each week.”

Caruth, a junior at School Without Walls and residents of the Capitol Hill area of D.C., took part in the Autobahn Indoor Speedway Summer League, a high-speed indoor go-kart racing league, and has been an active participant in the NASCAR iRacing Series for just over a year.

The iRacing Series (NiS) is an online racing series that mirrors the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and follows the real-world NASCAR schedule each week. In his 18 iRacing Series stats in 2018 and 2019, Caruth won two races, placed in the top five four times, in the top 10 ten times and led his races for a combined 197 laps.

Caruth practices at least a couple hours of iRacing during the week and then as much as he can on the weekend.

His parents have been behind his journey as a racer, saying, “they really have been supportive and I can’t thank them enough.”

And even though he has been hitting curves on race tracks, he is not yet licensed to drive on the District’s streets. He plans to take his permit test hopefully on the next spring break, but ironically isn’t rushing jokingly adding, “there’s no place to park in D.C.”

Don’t worry parents, because they have varying age categories and skill sets, you don’t need a license for this particular sport.

Competition was stiff but Caruth was excited to compete.

“It would be amazing,” Caruth said, “to even make it to this point is even mind blowing to me. There are kids who were born into racing families and I am just this kid from the city.”

At the end of the exciting weekend, Caruth tweeted, “Almost back home from the [Rev Racing] [NASCAR Diversity] Youth Combine. What an amazing experience! Was an honor to compete against such talented wheelmen and women. I’m so grateful for all the support from back home and everyone else. No matter the result, still gonna grind it out!”

Curuth acknowledges that racing has made an indelible impact on his life saying. “[It] is all I want to do, honestly; I just want to race. Even if I don’t end up racing after high school, I plan on going to college in North Carolina and doing a sports related major. I wouldn’t do anything else.”

To find out more about Rajah Caruth’s racing journey, please visit his YouTube or website.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

1 week ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

7 months ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

10 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.