Brad Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are experiencing notable shifts in their spotter lineup heading into this weekend’s Pocono Cup race, as revealed in a recent update from NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass. These changes affect both Cup and Truck Series teams and come at a crucial point in the season.
TJ Majors is returning to his role as Brad Keselowski’s spotter after stepping away for about a month due to a medical issue. During Majors’ absence, Todd Brewer had filled in. Majors is also resuming spotting duties for Carson Kvapil and Matt Mills, who races for BJ McLeod’s team.
On the other hand, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of Hyak Motorsports has replaced his spotter Tab Boyd with Clayton Hughes. Boyd was removed from his position following controversial comments made during the Mexico City race weekend, generating public backlash. Hughes is not new to NASCAR, having previously worked as a spotter for Martin Truex Jr.
In the Truck Series, Freddie Kraft is stepping into the spotter role for Giovanni Ruggiero, taking over from Frank Kimmel II. Kraft is best known for spotting in the Cup Series for Bubba Wallace before this recent change.
Brad Keselowski’s Experience at Michigan Highlights Challenges
Following the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Brad Keselowski delivered an honest evaluation of his race performance, which was hindered by a pit road speeding penalty. Though Keselowski’s car seemed capable of competing near the front, the penalty and some unfortunate pit road moments created setbacks.
Keselowski started 27th and moved up to 21st by the end of Stage 1. However, the early pit stops combined with the speeding call saw him drop back to 25th by Stage 2’s conclusion. Despite this, he was able to move up again in the final stage, ultimately finishing 10th, just behind his teammate Ryan Preece and ahead of Erik Jones.
“We had a really good car. I felt like we had a top two or three car and just didn’t get to see it through. I’m really disappointed. We kind of crushed ourselves on pit road with the speeding penalty and then having to go around the 45 and the 71. Every time we pitted we would lose a lot of spots.” —Brad Keselowski
Keselowski pointed out that the pit crew had performed well, so the issues were linked more to pit stall positioning and the penalty itself. He also expressed confusion about the speeding penalty, stating,
“I’m not really sure on the speeding penalty. I felt I was way slow, so getting called fast didn’t really add up,” —Brad Keselowski
Even with those difficulties, he emphasized the importance of securing a top-10 finish, a feat that Keselowski and his teammates Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece accomplished at Michigan. Buescher finished second behind Denny Hamlin, while Preece and Keselowski completed the top 10.
Implications of the Spotter Lineup Adjustments Ahead of Pocono Race
The return of TJ Majors to Brad Keselowski’s team brings back a familiar dynamic that could help the driver navigate the remaining races more effectively, especially with Majors’ experience and history with Keselowski. Meanwhile, the replacement of Tab Boyd with Clayton Hughes for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. signals an attempt to stabilize the spotter-driver communication after turmoil during the Mexico City event.
Changes in the Truck Series spotter roles, like Freddie Kraft stepping in for Giovanni Ruggiero, highlight the constant adjustments teams make to optimize performance across NASCAR’s different divisions. These moves come as the Pocono Cup race approaches, where strong team coordination, including spotter communication, can be a decisive factor in race results.
As NASCAR continues its season with intense competition, these spotter lineup shifts show how off-track decisions directly influence on-track performance, setting the stage for an unpredictable and closely watched Pocono Cup event.