A newly-controversial NASCAR figure has made a rapid return to the sport after being let go earlier this month.
Spotter Tab Boyd was let go by Hyak Motorsports after NASCAR went to Mexico City earlier in the month, having made disparaging comments about the area on social media.
Boyd had been Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s spotter up to that point, with Stenhouse Jr. revealing last week: “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."
Boyd has now been added to Christopher Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing crew for this weekend's race at Atlanta, jumping rapidly back into the sport.
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Mexico City comments caused controversy
Bell has been on the lookout for a new spotter after Stevie Reeves quit the team mid-season after the Coca-Cola 600, with Bell admitting at the time his surprise at the move.
Meanwhile, the post on Twitter which ended Boyd's three-year run on Stenhouse Jr.'s team read: “I’m ready to go home, screw this place. People can talk it up all they want… can’t even walk out the front door of the hotel without getting hustled and money snatched… in less than five minutes. Good area my a**.”
The post was deleted when it started garnering attention, but Boyd was not the only NASCAR notable to make controversial comments about the sport's trip to Mexico, with Carson Hocevar fined by his Spire Motorsports team.
Hocevar described Mexico City as a ‘s***hole’ and was fined $50,000 by the team, with the 20-year-old apologising and the money from the fine going to several Mexican charities.
