Despite Christopher Bell having already won three races this season, there seems to be something wrong with the spotter situation atop the No. 20 pit box. When the green flag drops Saturday night at EchoPark Speedway, Bell will work with a new spotter for the third time in less than a month. Industry veteran Tab Boyd, who previously served as Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s eyes in the sky, has now joined Bell and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Advertisement
Boyd and Stenhouse celebrated their high-water mark together with a win at the 2023 Daytona 500 and maintained their partnership until the Cup Series round in Mexico City. Following that race, JTG Daugherty Racing replaced Boyd with Clayton Hughes ahead of Pocono.
While no formal reason was provided for Boyd’s dismissal, his name had surfaced earlier that week due to controversial remarks made regarding Mexico City, leading many to connect the dots.
Meanwhile, Bell’s longtime spotter Stevie Reeves unexpectedly walked away from the No. 20 team. Having started the season alongside Bell, as he had done through most of the driver’s Cup tenure, Reeves was reportedly informed that his contract would not be renewed beyond 2025.
Rather than ride out the year, Reeves opted to step aside early. Neither Bell nor the team elaborated on the details behind his exit, with Bell remarking only, “It was all Stevie’s decision. He made the decision on his own to quit, and that’s all I’m going to say.”
In Reeves’s absence, former JGR mechanic Matt Philpott stepped into the unfamiliar role. Though lacking in formal spotting experience, Philpott answered the call during one of the most grueling stretches of the season. However, with the postseason picture coming into focus, JGR saw fit to bring in a seasoned voice, handing the reins to Boyd.
Christopher Bell on having spotter Tab Boyd, who was released from Hyak Racing last week, as his new spotter. His interim spotter Matt Philpott did not have much experience compared to Boyd. pic.twitter.com/2S2UQWjjgx
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 28, 2025
Speaking on the transition, Bell acknowledged the learning curve ahead. “It’s going to be tough. I’ve listened to Tab on our replay system, but aside from that, that’s all we’ve got.”
“It’s going to be tough getting acclimated at probably one of the most spotter-intense racetracks on the calendar, but Tab has a bunch of experience. We’ll play it by ear, and definitely, the first stage or two is going to be a learning curve.”
He also expressed his appreciation for Philpott, whose stint came under less-than-ideal circumstances. “I’m super thankful for Philpott jumping in when he did in the heart of our schedule, which was super, super tough. He did a great job for us, and we’re thankful for him.”
“When Tab became available, it made sense to add some experience to our team as we get closer to the playoffs and hopefully contend for a championship.”
With so many different voices coming through his radio in such a short span, Bell admitted the adjustment has been anything but seamless. Even so, he sits fourth in the standings, with seven top-five finishes and a win already secured at Atlanta.
He holds an average finish of 15.4 at the track, where he now aims to regroup with a new spotter and steady his bid for a deep postseason run starting with the second race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
