Ricky Stenhouse Jr. loses spotter after Mexico incident, a development that has cast uncertainty over his NASCAR Cup Series playoff aspirations just weeks before the crucial races commence. The sudden departure of longtime spotter Tab Boyd, after comments about Mexico City sparked backlash, leaves Stenhouse Jr. adjusting his strategy at a critical moment in the season.
The controversy emerged following the Viva Mexico 250, where Stenhouse Jr. was attempting to secure a decent finish despite a weekend plagued by weather delays and travel issues. Tensions boiled over during the race when Carson Hocevar spun Stenhouse out, escalating post-race tempers on pit road and garnering attention for both drivers. In the midst of the fallout and disciplinary actions across the garage, the departure of Boyd places added pressure on Stenhouse Jr. and his team as the playoff picture comes into focus.
Ugly Turn in Mexico City—Emotional Spillover and Social Fallout
During the tumultuous Mexico City race, both on-track ruin and off-track remarks shaped the narrative for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. After being taken out by Carson Hocevar, Stenhouse confronted his rival to vent his frustrations. In a heated exchange, he said,
“I will beat your a– when we get back to the States.”
—Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver. Despite this altercation, the first fine went to Hocevar, though not for his actions during the race.
Hocevar, a rising star, became one of the weekend’s flashpoints after his insensitive remarks about Mexico City during a Twitch stream surfaced. Spire Motorsports responded with disciplinary action, issuing a $50,000 fine and requiring sensitivity training, showing that words away from the track had real consequences. However, the ripple effect of online comments extended well beyond Hocevar.
Tab Boyd’s Departure: From Celebrated Partnership to Shock Exit
Unfolding in the aftermath of the Mexico event, the news of Tab Boyd’s dismissal generated waves across the NASCAR community. Boyd, known as the steady voice guiding Stenhouse Jr.—including during their celebrated 2023 Daytona 500 win—was let go by HYAK Motorsports. The change surfaced following reports by NASCAR journalist Toby Christie, who revealed,
“On the Morning Drive on @SiriusXMNASCAR Radio this morning, @StenhouseJr confirmed that former spotter Tab Boyd has been let go by HYAK Motorsports. Stenhouse says he has never worked with Clayton Hughes before, and wants to quickly build rapport this weekend with Atlanta next.”
—Toby Christie, NASCAR Journalist
On SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Morning Drive,” Stenhouse Jr. addressed the sudden change:
“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. Obviously, I think the concern for me is trying to get on the same page as quick as we can, knowing that, like you said, the schedule coming up, going to Atlanta next week, could be a very important race for our race team and trying to get us in the Playoffs and put us in the right position.”
—Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
The circumstances surrounding Boyd’s departure heightened suspicions. On June 14, Tab Boyd posted—and quickly deleted—his own controversial thoughts on X, referencing his discomfort in Mexico City. The since-erased message triggered immediate backlash and quickly led to Boyd’s exit, with his presence on both social media and at HYAK Motorsports swiftly vanishing. The organization’s silence only fueled speculation about the reasoning behind the decision.
NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck publicly commented on the matter, weighing in on whether Boyd’s remarks merited termination:
“Tab Boyd’s post was not a fireable offense IMO… didn’t think he’d get fired for it.”
—Jeff Gluck, NASCAR Insider
While many debated the necessity of the firing—pointing to the emotional context and lack of malice—HYAK’s zero-tolerance response served as a clear message amid rising scrutiny on professionalism both online and at the track.
Spotter Switch: Clayton Hughes Steps In, Playoff Pressure Mounts
With Boyd’s exit finalized, HYAK Motorsports tapped veteran spotter Clayton Hughes to fill the critical role leading up to the next race at Atlanta and the pivotal events beyond. Hughes, who helped guide Martin Truex Jr. to a championship in 2017, steps into a high-pressure scenario with limited time to build chemistry.
Clayton Hughes’ extensive experience is a silver lining for the No. 47 team. Yet, the importance of synchronization between driver and spotter cannot be overstated—especially as the NASCAR Cup Series enters its defining stretch. Stenhouse has acknowledged the challenge that lies ahead, understanding that instant rapport will be essential in Atlanta and as the playoff cutoff approaches.
Despite losing his Cup Series position, Boyd remains active in the NASCAR garage. He is set to assist in both the Xfinity and Truck Series, working with Ryan Ellis and Luke Baldwin, respectively. Still, the sudden end to his longtime partnership with Stenhouse Jr. disrupts a working relationship built over years and pivotal victories, including the prestigious Daytona 500.
High Stakes for Stenhouse Jr. as Playoff Deadline Nears
With 16 races in the books for 2025, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finds himself ranked 21st in the standings, totaling 312 points. His season has yielded just one top five and two top ten finishes—yet he remains winless at a crucial stage. The playoff field is limited to the top 16 drivers, so Stenhouse Jr. must capitalize on every stage point and opportunity for a strong finish to keep his postseason dreams alive.
The team’s sudden shakeup only complicates the task. Establishing harmony with a new spotter in Clayton Hughes is both essential and urgent. As past racing history shows, the driver-spotter dynamic can make or break split-second decisions, particularly at high-banked tracks such as Atlanta and Pocono where strategy and communication are paramount.
As the season intensifies, Stenhouse Jr. is under added scrutiny—not just to maintain composure with competitors like Carson Hocevar, but also to recalibrate his team dynamics for a playoff push. The margin for error narrows with every race, placing pressure on both driver and crew to deliver under different circumstances than expected at the outset of the year.
Rivalries, Regret, and the Road Ahead
While the fallout with Tab Boyd dominated headlines, Stenhouse Jr.’s rivalry with Carson Hocevar continues to simmer. After the Mexico City incident, emotions ran high, but Stenhouse has tempered his response ahead of the Pocono race. In a reflective interview, he shared,
“I’ve calmed down a little bit. My wife talks me off the ledge sometimes. She does a good job of that. But it doesn’t change the fact that you get spun out for no reason. Felt like it cost us at least seven spots. We didn’t wreck like at Nashville, but we put ourselves in a spot.”
—Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
He added more context on the lingering frustration:
“We got spun a couple times in that race. And just kept trying to fight back and get our track position. Felt like on that long run there at the end—there was still three or four spots right there in front of us that we could get, and we ended up giving up another four or five spots.”
—Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
With both drivers listed for the upcoming Pocono Raceway event, there is potential for renewed drama—whether on the scoreboard or pit road. As tempers cool and professionalism takes hold, the focus for Stenhouse Jr. remains finding stability with his new spotter and extracting every possible point as the playoff cutoff looms.
The recent events highlight the crucial, high-pressure nature of teamwork and communication in NASCAR, where off-track actions can be as impactful as on-track performance. Stenhouse Jr. and his HYAK Motorsports crew must now adapt quickly, putting behind them the controversy while looking ahead to a do-or-die stretch of the racing calendar. NASCAR fans will be watching closely to see whether the team can rise above the turmoil and secure their place in the postseason field.
