The legal dispute between Joe Gibbs Racing and Chris Gabehart has grown, with the team widening its case. The NASCAR team filed an amended complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, naming Spire Motorsports as a defendant.
The filing asks the court to enforce a restraining order that could block Gabehart from working in a similar role with Spire.
According to Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com, the lawsuit claims Gabehart violated non-compete terms and carried out a “brazen scheme” to take proprietary competition data after Joe Gibbs Racing declined his request for greater authority.
Joe Gibbs Racing Amended Lawsuit Adds Spire Motorsports
Joe Gibbs Racing first sued Chris Gabehart. The amended filing formally adds Spire Motorsports and links the hiring to the alleged contract breach.
According to Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com, the complaint states, “Spire knowingly, intentionally, unjustifiably, and in bad faith induced Gabehart to breach his contract with JGR.” The filing also claims Spire may have encouraged the use or disclosure of confidential team information.
The team asks the court to issue a restraining order preventing Gabehart from working in any role similar to his previous position as competition director. The request also seeks the return of any proprietary material he may still possess.
Joe Gibbs Racing says the stakes are high in the current Next Gen era. The filing explains that teams now use similar cars and suppliers, which increases the value of setup details and strategy data. “It states, understanding only a small portion of the details of how a competitor sets up its cars would allow other teams to… recreate a successful car setup.” The organization claims misuse of such data could lead to lost competitive advantage and business harm.
Allegations of Database Access and File Syncing
The amended complaint includes claims tied to forensic findings and internal reviews.
According to Matt Weaver, Joe Gibbs Racing alleges Gabehart created a folder titled “Spire” on his work computer and synced database material to a personal Google Drive account. The team also claims he photographed setup information using his phone.
The filing further states Gabehart accessed JGR databases during November, including around the time he met with Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson. The complaint cites forensic analysis led by Reliance Forensics expert Clark C. Walton. His declaration says investigators observed synced activity connected to a personal Gmail account and a Google Drive folder labeled “Spire,” which included a subfolder named “Past Setups.”
Motions, Responses, and Next Legal Steps
Joe Gibbs Racing seeks more than $8 million in damages along with injunctive relief. The organization also noted in court filings that neither Gabehart nor Spire voluntarily agreed to the requested restrictions. The motion states both sides declined consent, meaning a judge must decide whether to issue the restraining order.
The amended complaint includes written declarations from competition director Wally Brown and chief financial officer Tim Carmichael. Their statements outline the potential competitive and financial risks if confidential information spreads to another team.
Joe Gibbs Racing also responded in the filing to Gabehart’s public denial of wrongdoing. The team argued that his statement was “materially false and misleading,” adding that forensic review confirmed he had taken confidential information and that the analysis could not rule out the possibility that files were shared through other channels.
Gabehart has said he plans to submit a formal legal response. The court has not yet ruled on the request for a restraining order, as the NASCAR season continues.