Jeff Gluck defends Tab Boyd after the spotter was sacked for Mexico NASCAR race comments

Veteran NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck publicly defended Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s veteran spotter, Tab Boyd, after the latter was released by HYAK Motorsports, most likely for the comments he made about Mexico City. Boyd had posted on social media about being hustled and having his money stolen outside his hotel, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the city after the recent Cup Series race there.

Tab Boyd is a highly experienced NASCAR spotter known for his decades-long career serving some of the sport’s top drivers. He began his NASCAR journey performing various roles on small teams, including tire changing and engine tuning, before moving to spotting. Over his career, he has worked with Joey Logano, Danica Patrick, Casey Mears and Ricky Stenhouse Jr..

Jeff Gluck argued that even if Boyd’s comments were distasteful, his termination was over the top. He acknowledged that it was foolish of Boyd to disparage the event publicly, especially given that critics would be searching for anything to criticize about this event; however, he added that Boyd’s comments were not racist or hateful.

Gluck also stated that he "cringed" at Boyd's public complaint, but he never considered that a person would receive the penalty of termination for such behavior. On X (formerly Twitter), Gluck penned:

"Just as I loved the Mexico City trip, I’m fully aware not everyone had the same experience. No, it wasn’t smart to have a post that embarrassed NASCAR since critics were already looking to seize upon any red meat that cast the race in a bad light. But Tab Boyd didn’t say anything racist or hateful."

"He apparently got scammed (don’t know the exact details) and was upset about it. I cringed when I saw his post, but didn’t think he’d get fired for it. Maybe not relevant here, but Tab Boyd also happens to be a really nice guy with a great family, so guess I just hate to see this in general," he added.

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

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Just as I loved the Mexico City trip, I’m fully aware not everyone had the same experience. No, it wasn’t smart to have a post that embarrassed NASCAR since critics were already looking to seize upon any red meat that cast the race in a bad light. But Tab Boyd didn’t say anything racist or hateful. He apparently got scammed (don’t know the exact details) and was upset about it. I cringed when I saw his post, but didn’t think he’d get fired for it. Maybe not relevant here, but Tab Boyd also happens to be a really nice guy with a great family, so guess I just hate to see this in general.

On June 15, the Cup Series race, Viva Mexico 250, was held at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the first time. Shane van Gisbergen drove to a dominant victory, beating Christopher Bell by over 16 seconds.

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. addresses ‘unfortunate’ NASCAR spotter change

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. addressed the sudden and "unfortunate" departure of longtime spotter Tab Boyd from Hyak Motorsports just as the NASCAR Cup Series heads into a crucial playoff push. Stenhouse revealed on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that championship-winning spotter Clayton Hughes will take over spotting duties in the next race at Pocono Raceway.

The timing is challenging, with only ten races left in the regular season, and Stenhouse’s team quickly needs to build chemistry with Hughes to maximize their playoff chances.

"You know, obviously, that’s an unfortunate deal. The team let Tab Boyd go this week, and we got Clayton Hughes to come fill in. I’ve never worked with Clayton," Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said via tobychristie.com.

Stenhouse, who has worked with Boyd since early 2023, did not provide further details about the firing but acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to a new spotter at such a pivotal point in the season.