Rajah Caruth had the willpower but perhaps not the horsepower in his first NASCAR Xfinity race.

Starting in the 22nd position, Caruth finished 24th overall out of 38 in the race last Saturday at Richmond Raceway.

Caruth’s No. 44 Chevy was sponsored by Virginia State University and was painted in orange and blue, the VSU Trojans’ colors.

Caruth is a sophomore at Winston-Salem State University. His car didn’t have the oomph to hang with the leaders. His qualifying time of 117.9 mph was well off that of eventual champion Ty Gibbs, who qualified at 121.8 mph.

In Sunday’s Cup Race at Richmond Raceway, Greg Biffle had mechanical difficulties and finished last.

Biffle drove the No. 44 car sponsored by Norfolk State University and painted in the Spartans’ colors of green and gold. Biffle, 52 and semi-retired, previously has represented Grambling and Florida A&M universities and Stillman College on the Cup circuit by painting his car in the colors of those HBCUs.