They would prefer to blend in. This is what their decades in law enforcement have ingrained in them. Strangers asking for a selfie is supposed to be a foreign concept; people shouldn’t know who they are.

But NASCAR fans have come to recognize Allen Taylor and Stan Ruffin, whose job titles are simply “NASCAR security,” though this underplays their importance. Through no fault of their own, they’ve found themselves in the middle of some of NASCAR’s most well-known driver confrontations in recent years.

Remember that post-race scrum at Kansas in 2023, when Ross Chastain clocked Noah Gragson with a right cross? It was Ruffin who grabbed Gragson’s arm in mid-swing before he could land a retaliatory punch that surely would’ve triggered a bigger melee. Ruffin was also in the middle of a brawl last year at North Wilkesboro — where NASCAR returns this weekend for its annual All-Star Race — between Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., with Ruffin forcefully pulling Stenhouse away after he punched Busch post-race.

Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got into an altercation following the NASCAR All-Star Race

@Jordan_Bianchi pic.twitter.com/86EA503lCw

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 20, 2024

And last fall, Taylor defused a potential powder keg when he walked with an irate driver down Martinsville’s pit road who seemed hellbent on expressing his anger with a Truck Series competitor following a key playoff race, only for the confrontation to never go beyond an exchange of words.

“A lot of times you can tell by their posture when they get out of the car; they’re slamming things,” said Taylor, who heads NASCAR’s security team. “It’s all about anticipating and seeing how they’re reacting. Because sometimes drivers are nice and calm and they go to the other driver, and then that’s when they blow up. Sometimes the blow-up doesn’t happen until the other person says something. It’s not always immediately that the fighting occurs. You just have to be aware.”

Although there is no overarching protocol on how Taylor, Ruffin and others within NASCAR’s security corps handle post-race confrontations, they try to apply a consistent methodology. They end up as part-bodyguard, part-referee and part-mediator.

“It’s just a natural thing for me,” Ruffin said. “I seem to always be around, and stuff gravitates towards me. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not.”

When races finish, Taylor and Ruffin will make their way over to any driver they feel may be inclined to confront another, either by their own instincts or with some direction from NASCAR officials in the scoring tower. And should that driver decide to start a confrontation, security will quickly move in.

These exchanges between drivers are often mild, with no one starring in a viral fight video. But occasionally, a flare-up occurs.

When this happens, Taylor and Ruffin’s extensive law enforcement background — each totaling nearly 30 years — proves invaluable. Taylor worked for the U.S. Secret Service, where his duties included a lengthy stint serving on the detail assigned to protecting the Obamas. There, he forged a tight bond with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. When Taylor was seeking a career shift in 2020 and curious about potentially working for NASCAR, Barack Obama made a personal call to then-NASCAR president Steve Phelps to encourage the league to hire his friend.

Ruffin worked as an FBI agent, where he worked on several high-profile cases ranging from 9/11 to white-collar crimes to kidnappings.

The preferred protocol with post-race fights is to allow the drivers to speak toe-to-toe without any crew members interjecting. Since many crew members are former college athletes and often significantly bigger than drivers, such a size discrepancy can lead to injuries, making it paramount to keep them on the periphery. NASCAR security also doesn’t want any law enforcement to become directly involved unless absolutely necessary, lest an overzealous driver or crew member accidentally strike them and potentially be subject to criminal charges.

Ideally, once drivers begin to jaw, they’ll say whatever needs to be said and then disperse. Of course, sometimes it can go in a much different direction. And it’s when things get physical that Taylor and Ruffin make their presence known.

“You can’t let the drivers get hurt,” Ruffin said. “Because if you go too far and a driver gets hurt, then it becomes, ‘Why didn’t you stop them?’

“Those drivers, especially the younger ones, are similar to my own kids where I was always breaking up fights. The younger ones often make me laugh as I’m trying to break them up. I jokingly tell (drivers) they get one move (be it a shove, a grab or punch) and that’s it.”

Punches thrown between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson after Kansas! pic.twitter.com/vzojr7Jn7H

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 7, 2023

Leaning on their vast training, Taylor and Ruffin prefer to de-escalate any situation before it rises to punches being thrown and drivers needing to be physically restrained.

Last fall at Martinsville, Taylor walked nearly the entire length of pit road with driver Taylor Gray, who was upset with Christian Eckes after late contact cost Gray a win in a pivotal Truck Series playoff race. During that walk, Taylor repeatedly told Gray to maintain a level head. This is exactly what happened.

“I kept saying, ‘Think about what you are going to say, don’t do anything that you’re going to regret later. Just have a conversation,” Taylor said. “I kept repeating the same thing over and over. He wasn’t acknowledging it, but I was hoping that he was hearing me.

“You’re de-escalating, but it’s also more about communicating. My communication skills are honed in on and based on having to deal with audiences, having to talk to people and give them direction. Communication is the key in all these situations.”

Taylor Gray walked down Martinsville’s pit road to confront Christian Eckes in victory lane after the Truck Series race. After the two exchanged words, Gray walked away. pic.twitter.com/zzKgub9I6k

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) November 2, 2024

Looking back months later, Gray says he doesn’t recall what Taylor said to him that frustrating night. Still, it’s hard to think that Taylor’s message didn’t resonate to some degree.

“He was trying to talk me off the ledge, for sure,” Gray said.

Following a rough-and-tumble Xfinity Series race this past spring at Martinsville, Ruffin found himself in a similar situation. Livid with Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton sought Smith out in the infield care center. With this environment considered a hospital, no misbehavior is tolerated, especially fighting. So Ruffin placed himself between the two drivers, then calmly explained to Burton that this was not the place for this and he needed to leave. Burton listened. And on his own accord, he later apologized to the care center staff.

“They did a good job of talking me off the ledge,” Burton said. “That’s not the guy I am, but I’m fired up and passionate about what I do.”

Tense situations can extend beyond the track, sometimes not even involving drivers — and it may require being mindful of a muffin whizzing by their head.

He laughs about it now, and so do Ruffin’s colleagues, who now affectionately refer to him as the “Muffin Man,” but at the moment, it was no joke.

Among NASCAR security’s many duties is having a presence at various events that go on during the week. This includes NASCAR playoff media day, as was the case last September at the Charlotte Convention Center. At some point, as Ruffin recalled, an uncredentialed man entered a private area NASCAR had sequestered off and refused to leave when asked.

After Ruffin was alerted, he began following the individual while maintaining a healthy distance, as he didn’t want to provoke him. The unwanted visitor eventually made his way into a hospitality room where he proceeded to grab various food items. It was then Ruffin intervened, instructing the individual to leave as he had overstayed his welcome. Ignoring the directive, the individual continued to wander around only to suddenly throw a muffin at the back of Ruffin’s head, missing him.

In this instance, Ruffin would’ve had justification to act forcefully. Yet, Ruffin maintained his composure.

“I picked up the muffin, handed it to him and said, ‘Sir, I believe you dropped your muffin,’” Ruffin said, shaking his head as he retells the story.

“It’s just a matter of trying to stay calm and calm the other person and not make the situation worse by giving them an opportunity to do what they came there to do. And I think he came there to fight. … You do everything you can to bring the tension down.”

Stan Ruffin accompanies Joey Logano to a Los Angeles Clippers game in 2022. Logano is one of many drivers who rely on Ruffin and Allen Taylor. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

Many within the industry swear by Taylor and Ruffin. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano is adamant they are the first people he reaches out to whenever a potential security issue arises that falls within their realm, as was the case last year. Chastain is one of several drivers who says he owes them for jumping in to break up a fight before things went completely haywire.

“I’ve had a couple of moments where I’ve been very thankful,” Chastain said. “The way that group works, you don’t see them until you see him. They just have a way to navigate their garage silently, but they’re always there. They’re always around.”

Then there are fans, many of whom have come to recognize Taylor and Ruffin. The two are now regularly spotted at the track and approached to chat or take a selfie — or to bust their chops for prematurely breaking up a fight the fan wanted to see unfold.

“Obviously we know it’s good advertising, good TV,” Taylor said of driver skirmishes. “And, obviously, people like to see disagreements and, unfortunately, the fight. But I think the drama behind it and having the discussion, I think can be just as entertaining as not having an actual fight.”

Said Ruffin: “It’s kind of weird. This weekend alone, I’ve already taken six selfies. Some tell me I need to handle (fights) like hockey, but I don’t know anything about what the hockey rules are.”

(Top photo of the altercation between Taylor Gray and Christian Eckes at Martinsville last year; Stan Ruffin has sunglasses on his head, and Allen Taylor is next to him in the dark blue NASCAR jacket: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)

North Wilkesboro Speedway is hosting the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race this weekend.

Heading into the weekend NASCAR imposed a hefty penalty of Chris Buescher and his RFK Racing team after failing post-race R&D checks following Kansas. As a result, the Cup Series standings have been updated after he was docked 60 points.

Another change this weekend comes from Hendrick Motorsports. As Kyle Larson takes part in testing and qualifying for the Indy 500, Justin Allgaier will be stepping in for him at Hendrick Motorsports during practice and qualifying. Allgaier will also be on hand should Larson face any delays in getting to the North Wilkesboro track for Sunday’s race.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Cup Series racing this weekend.

When is the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend?

Friday, 16 May

4.30 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – Pit Road Qualifying Entry/Exit Practice

5 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – Practice

6 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – Qualifying (All-Star Pit Crew Challenge)

Saturday, 17 May

5.10 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – All-Star Race Heat No. 1

6.15 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – All-Star Race Heat No. 2

Sunday, 18 May

5 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – All-Star Open

8 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series – All-Star Race

How to watch the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend

On Friday, the pit road qualifying entry/exit practice and practice session are set to be broadcast on FS2, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Qualifying will be available on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

On Saturday, both heats of the All-Star Race will be on FS2, MRN, and SiriusXm NASCAR Radio.

Sunday will feature the All-Star Open on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the All-Star Race, which will be show on FS1, Max, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

What is the purse for the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race?

The winning prize for the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race is $1 million, which will go to the winning team.

NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open entry list

1. Noah Gragson – Front Row Motorsports
2. Justin Haley – Spire Motorsports
3. Ty Dillon – Kaulig Racing
4. Cody Ware – Rick Ware Racing
5. AJ Allmendinger – Kaulig Racing
6. Bubba Wallace – 23XI Racing
7. Todd Gilliland – Front Row Motorsports
8. Riley Herbst – 23XI Racing
9. Zane Smith – Front Row Motorsports
10. Cole Custer – Haas Factory Team
11. John H. Nemechek – Legacy Motor Club
12. Erik Jones – Legacy Motor Club
13. Ty Gibbs – Joe Gibbs Racing
14. Ryan Preece – RFK Racing
15. Chad Finchum – Garage 66
16. Michael McDowell – Spire Motorsports
17. Carson Hocevar – Spire Motorsports
18. Shane Van Gisbergen – Trackhouse Racing

NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race entry list

1. Ross Chastain – Trackhouse Racing
2. Austin Cindric – Team Penske
3. Austin Dillon – Richard Childress Racing
4. Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports
5. Brad Keselowski – RFK Racing
6. Kyle Busch – Richard Childress Racing
7. Chase Elliott – Hendrick Motorsports
8. Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing
9. Ryan Blaney – Team Penske
10. Chris Buescher – RFK Racing
11. Chase Briscoe – Joe Gibbs Racing
12. Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing
13. Josh Berry – Wood Brothers Racing
14. Joey Logano – Team Penske
15. William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports
16. Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing
17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr – HYAK Motorsports
18. Alex Bowman – Hendrick Motorsports
19. Harrison Burton – Rick Ware Racing
20. Daniel Suárez – Trackhouse Racing

What are the NASCAR Cup Series standings ahead of the All-Star Race?

1. Kyle Larson – 469
2. William Byron – 434
3. Christopher Bell – 384
4. Chase Elliott – 378
5. Ryan Blaney – 362
6. Tyler Reddick – 357
7. Denny Hamlin – 346
8. Alex Bowman – 325
9. Joey Logano – 318
10. Bubba Wallace – 310
11. Ross Chastain – 300
12. Chase Briscoe – 278
13. Austin Cindric – 273
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr – 258
15. Ryan Preece – 251
16. Josh Berry – 244
17. Kyle Busch – 244
18. John H. Nemechek – 234
19. Carson Hocevar – 230
20. Michael McDowell – 228
21. Austin Dillon – 227
22. Zane Smith – 227
23. Todd Gilliland – 227
24. Chris Buescher – 224
25. AJ Allmendinger – 218
26. Ty Gibbs – 217
27. Daniel Suárez – 209
28. Justin Haley – 206
29. Erik Jones – 196
30. Ty Dillon – 188
31. Noah Gragson – 181
32. Riley Herbst – 151
33. Brad Keselowski – 148
34. Cole Custer – 139
35. Shane Van Gisbergen – 138
36. Cody Ware – 68
37. Jimmie Johnson – 34
38. Corey LaJoie – 24
39. JJ Yeley – 9
40. Katherine Legge – 7
41. Casey Mears – 2
42. Burt Myers – 1
43. Chad Finchum – 1
44. Martin Truex Jr – 1

Over the past decade, B.J. McLeod has started 146 NASCAR Cup races, driving underfunded equipment, but doing as one of the most respected field-fillers in the sport. His best finish was seventh, which came in the summer race at Daytona in 2022.

McLeod is a driver/owner at Live Fast Motorsports and competed full-time before selling his Cup charter to Spire Motorsports for around $40 million dollars. Since then, he has been running a limited schedule in both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.

A huge opportunity 

However, the 41-year-old has never gotten the chance in truly competitive equipment … until now. Spire Motorsports is offering McLeod the opportunity to pilot one of their Trucks in next weekend’s race at Charlotte. He has 41 starts in the Truck Series with a best finish of 15th, but hasn’t competed in the series since the 2021 season.

At Charlotte, he will drive the No. 07 Spire Chevrolet Silverado with ‘Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster’ as the primary sponsor, which is a new business venture of his.

“Getting to race again in the NASCAR truck series with an incredible team is an honor,” said McLeod. “It’s a perfect partnership with Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster — speed, adrenaline, and pure excitement — both on the track and in the mountains. We’re ready to put on a show for the fans and make this ride one to remember.”

Spire is one of the strongest teams in the Truck Series since acquiring Kyle Busch Motorsports’ operation in 2023. This year, that same No. 07 truck has already visited Victory Lane with Kyle Larson at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Spire also earned a 1-2 finish in the most recent Truck race at Kansas with Carson Hocevar piloting the No. 7 to victory and William Byron finishing second in the No. 07. Along with Larson and Byron, Nick Sanchez and Sammy Smith have also driven the No. 07 truck this year.