The Twenty Four Foundation Partners with NASCAR Driver Rajah Caruth to Launch "Built Different" STEM Accelerator

Student learning about Motorsports 101

Students participating in the Built Different STEM Accelerator engage in a learning session exploring career pathways in engineering, AI, technology, data science, and professional motorsports. Photo courtesy of the Clayton County Office of Digital Equity

Built Different isn't about racing — it's about access. When students learn AI strategy from engineers who use these tools on race day, that's not inspiration, that's infrastructure.”
— Darrell Booker, Executive Director of The Twenty Four Foundation

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Twenty Four Foundation announces the launch of Built Different: The STEM Accelerator, a STEM and workforce development initiative connecting underserved youth to careers in engineering, artificial intelligence, technology, and data science through professional motorsports. Designed and developed by Seven & Grace in collaboration with GM Motorsports, the program launches in Richmond, VA, and Atlanta, GA, delivered through local nonprofit partners. The Twenty Four Foundation leads program implementation and national expansion.

NASCAR driver Rajah Caruth is the initiative's most powerful proof of concept. An Atlanta native and product of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program, Caruth had no family connections to the sport, learning through iRacing before earning his first real-car opportunity at 17. He has called Drive for Diversity his "saving grace" and "only shot to race." His journey to becoming a NASCAR national series winner is exactly the kind of story Built Different is designed to make possible.

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE TRACK

At the heart of Built Different is How STEM Leads to Speed: Racing with Rajah, a hands-on curriculum that uses professional motorsports as a living classroom for physics, engineering, artificial intelligence, and data science. The program serves middle school students through four modules and high school and college students through an expanded five-module curriculum. Modules are activity-driven, career-focused, and taught by working motorsports professionals, including engineers from GM's software and AI teams, a tire specialist from a championship pit crew, and a NASCAR graphic designer.

Students engage with real-world racing tools. GM Motorsports contributed educational materials and technical perspectives showcasing technologies used in elite motorsports competition, including Pit Rho, its machine-learning race strategy platform, and Race Vehicle Simulation software utilized by engineers before race day. Microsoft provided Copilot and Designer, giving students hands-on experience with the technologies supporting Caruth's racing program.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of motorsports is the opportunity to share the technologies, engineering practices, and lessons learned from competition with broader communities. Through programs like this, we can help students better understand how innovation happens, how teams solve complex challenges under pressure, and how STEM skills can create opportunities both within motorsports and across the automotive industry."

— TaiJaune Robinson, Engineering Business Manager, GM Motorsports

Built Different is designed for lasting impact. Each nonprofit partner receives a complete STEM toolkit and curriculum for year-round delivery, ensuring students continue benefiting from the program long after the inaugural experience. The inaugural cohorts will be celebrated with VIP race weekend experiences: the Atlanta cohort at EchoPark Speedway during the Quaker State 400 (July 11–12, 2026), and the Richmond cohort at Richmond Raceway during the Cook Out 400 (August 14–15, 2026).

NATIONAL EXPANSION

Plans are underway to expand Built Different into additional NASCAR communities beginning in 2027. Following its inaugural launch in Richmond and Atlanta, The Twenty Four Foundation is building the program's next phase, bringing new student cohorts, nonprofit partners, and expanded impact to NASCAR communities nationwide.

The Foundation is seeking corporations, community organizations, and philanthropic partners who share a commitment to expanding access to STEM education and workforce opportunity for underserved youth. Opportunities exist to become a founding expansion-market partner, sponsor future student cohorts, or support the program's long-term growth as it reaches new cities beginning in 2027.

Organizations interested in partnering or learning more are invited to connect with The Twenty Four Foundation directly.

For more information, contact team@the24foundation.org or visit www.the24foundation.org

ABOUT THE TWENTY FOUR FOUNDATION
The Twenty Four Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational opportunity, workforce development, and economic mobility by connecting young people to careers through sports, technology, education, and culture. As the nonprofit steward of Built Different, the Foundation leads program implementation, partnership development, fundraising, and national expansion.

ABOUT SEVEN & GRACE

Seven & Grace is a social impact agency that designs and activates initiatives at the intersection of corporations, philanthropy, and culture. Through its Align. Connect. Activate. framework, the agency develops scalable programs that transform corporate investment into measurable community impact. Seven & Grace conceived, designed, and developed the Built Different program strategy, curriculum, and long-term vision.

Media Contact: Nicole Baskin
The Twenty Four Foundation
+1 901-498-1649
Media@the24foundation.org

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