Last Thursday, Joe Gibbs Racing sued its former competition director, Chris Gabehart, for alleged theft of confidential JGR documents and sharing them with its Cup Series rival, Spire Motorsports. The opening court date was set a week later, on Friday, February 27.
Earlier, Joe Gibbs Racing had charged Gabehart with taking photos of confidential racing data and planning to take it over to Spire. But later, JGR labeled Spire Motorsports as one of the defendants alongside Gabehart, claiming that the Chevy team had misused trade secrets, resorted to unfair trade practices, and meddled with Gabehart’s ongoing contract with JGR.
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Team owner Joe Gibbs said in a statement (via Courthouse News):
“I’m just going to continue to fight for what’s right.”
That being said, Chris Gabehart has denied all charges against him. In his declaration, the veteran crew chief clarified that even though there was a file named ‘Spire’ in his Google Drive, it was his personal working space to consider his job offer from Spire Motorsports as its chief motorsports officer.
“I did access that folder after it was created. However, I did not use any confidential JGR information (including any confidential information that was contained in subfolders contained in that file) while working in the folder,” Chris Gabehart wrote. “At all times, I understood my confidentiality obligations to JGR and had no intent to violate those obligations.”
Regardless, JGR has filed for a restraining order against Gabehart, which, if granted, could prevent him from Spire in a similar role to what he served at JGR for a period of 18 months starting on February 9, 2026. After an hour-long conversation between the counsel and U.S. District Judge Susan Rodriguez in her chambers, the court was told that both parties were trying to reach an agreement.
A court date will be scheduled for Monday, March 2, if no agreement is reached. On the racing side of things, next up is the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered By RelaDyne at COTA on Sunday, March 1. Fans can watch the race on FOX (3:30 pm ET) or listen to radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Chris Gabehart calls out Joe Gibbs Racing; says it has a “dysfunctional organizational structure”
Chris Gabehart has fired back at Joe Gibbs Racing, saying that the team has a “dysfunctional organizational structure.” After arguing six years as Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Gabehart was offered the job of competition director, which he accepted. He was promised a COO-type role overseeing operations with autonomy.
According to Gabehart, that’s not what he got. He found the management of Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 team even more concerning. In his declaration, he mentioned:
“I found myself constantly intertwined with Coach Gibbs, senior JGR executives, and family members when making even routine competition decisions — a dysfunctional organizational structure that I could not continue in.
“It was my view that the No. 54 car should be managed and held accountable in the same manner as the organization’s other cars. Instead, the No. 54 car was managed directly by Coach Gibbs and everyone in the organization knew it.”
Ty Gibbs happens to be the grandson of JGR owner Joe Gibbs and the son of JGR co-owner Heather Gibbs. As things stand, the judge has delayed the ruling in JGR’s fight against Chris Gabehart to block him from joining Spire Motorsports as its chief motorsports officer.
Edited by Hitesh Nigam
