Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Gabehart and Spire Face Off in Court

Judge urges parties to find middle ground on temporary restraining order

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Chris Gabehart, Spire Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing contested their first day in court on Friday, with JGR seeking a temporary restraining order against Gabehart, its former competition director who recently took a job at Spire. The judge heard arguments from both sides but urged them to continue negotiating over the weekend to try and reach a resolution, recognizing the impact of such a ruling.

Why it matters

This case highlights the high-stakes battle over employee poaching and the protection of proprietary data in the competitive world of NASCAR. The outcome could set precedents around non-compete agreements and the rights of teams to safeguard their competitive advantages.

The details

JGR is suing Gabehart for over $8 million in damages, alleging he broke a non-disclosure agreement and took proprietary data with him to Spire. Gabehart admits to taking photos of data on his personal phone, but says he did so out of frustration and had nothing to hide. The judge acknowledged JGR's desire to 'trust but verify' that Gabehart didn't share or continue to store sensitive information. However, she also expressed concern over the impact a restraining order could have on Gabehart's livelihood.

  • The court proceedings began on Friday afternoon.
  • The judge called a recess around 3:20pm and met with the lawyers in her chambers.
  • The judge said she intends to rule on the temporary restraining order on Monday afternoon if the parties can't reach an agreement over the weekend.

The players

Chris Gabehart

Gabehart is the former competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing who recently took a job as the Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire Motorsports.

Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing is a NASCAR team that is suing Gabehart for over $8 million in damages, alleging he broke a non-disclosure agreement and took proprietary data with him to Spire.

Spire Motorsports

Spire Motorsports is the team that hired Gabehart as its Chief Motorsports Officer, and is also involved in the legal proceedings.

Judge Susan C. Rodriguez

The judge presiding over the case, who urged the parties to continue negotiating over the weekend to try and reach a resolution.

Coach Joe Gibbs

The owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, who met with Gabehart and Spire president Bill Anthony after the court proceedings, expressing sadness that it had come to this.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone owes it to their clients to see if there is a middle ground.”

— Judge Susan C. Rodriguez (Court proceedings)

“Gabehart admits to taking the photos (of the data on his personal cell phone). He's embarrassed. He knows it was stupid.”

— Cary B. Davis, Attorney for Chris Gabehart (Court proceedings)

“A dog likes his toys. A baby likes his blanket. It was a year of his work.”

— Cary B. Davis, Attorney for Chris Gabehart (Court proceedings)

What’s next

The judge said she intends to rule on the temporary restraining order on Monday afternoon if the parties can't reach an agreement over the weekend.

The takeaway

This case highlights the intense competition and high stakes in NASCAR, where teams will aggressively protect their proprietary data and intellectual property. The outcome could set important precedents around employee non-compete agreements and the limits of what data workers can take with them when changing jobs.