Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has filed a lawsuit against former competition director Chris Gabehart and his current employer, Spire Motorsports, alleging the theft of confidential information and trade secrets. The case will go to a jury trial in February 2027, with Gabehart denying the claims and filing a countersuit.
JGR alleges that Gabehart embarked on a scheme to steal sensitive information for the benefit of Spire, seeking up to $8 million in damages for alleged violations of contractual obligations and misuse of trade secrets.
The legal battle unfolds
Gabehart, who has called the lawsuit frivolous and baseless, remains employed at Spire but not in the role he performed for JGR after a judge’s ruling. He has countersued JGR, claiming breach of contract and other violations.
Both parties are represented by Charlotte‑based law firms: Gabehart by Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A., and JGR by Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP.
Gabehart’s racing career began in 2012 as an engineer on Kyle Busch’s car with JGR, later rising to crew chief for Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 car, a tenure that produced 22 wins over six seasons.
JGR, a five‑time Cup Series championship organization that captured its most recent title with Kyle Busch in 2019, fields entries for Ty Gibbs, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. Spire Motorsports, active since 2019, runs programs for Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez, the latter two of whom celebrated recent victories at Talladega and the Coca‑Cola 600.
Potential impact
The trial’s outcome could reverberate beyond the courtroom, potentially influencing the upcoming Daytona 500 weekend and reshaping how racing organizations protect proprietary data and manage contractual relationships.