Joe Gibbs Speaks Out on Lawsuit Against Former Employee Gabehart, Spire Motorsports

Preliminary injunction hearing set for Monday in ongoing legal battle over alleged theft of trade secrets.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:03am

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Joe Gibbs Racing has filed a lawsuit against former employee Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports, alleging that Gabehart stole confidential information and trade secrets to benefit a direct NASCAR competitor. The legal battle will continue on Monday with a preliminary injunction hearing, and Gibbs has spoken out about the lawsuit, saying he never wanted to go to court but felt it was necessary to protect his team's interests.

Why it matters

This case highlights the high-stakes competition and potential for corporate espionage in the world of professional motorsports, where teams fiercely guard their technical data and strategic insights. The outcome could set a precedent for how teams handle employee departures and protect their intellectual property.

The details

According to the lawsuit filed by JGR, Gabehart allegedly sought "carte blanche authority over all racing decisions" at JGR and when denied, made known his desire to leave the team. After his last day on November 10, 2025, a forensic analysis of Gabehart's computer revealed that he had accessed confidential information and trade secrets, which he then allegedly used to benefit Spire Motorsports, a direct JGR competitor. The lawsuit states that Gabehart's actions have caused over $8 million in damages to JGR.

  • The preliminary injunction hearing is set for Monday, March 16, 2026.
  • Gabehart's last day at JGR was November 10, 2025, eight days after the 2025 season ended.
  • JGR was granted a temporary restraining order on February 9, 2026, prohibiting Gabehart from performing similar services for Spire for 18 months.

The players

Joe Gibbs

The owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, a prominent NASCAR team.

Chris Gabehart

A former employee of Joe Gibbs Racing who is now the chief motorsports officer at Spire Motorsports, a direct competitor of JGR.

Spire Motorsports

A NASCAR team that has been accused of benefiting from the alleged theft of trade secrets by Chris Gabehart, a former JGR employee.

Jeff Dickerson

The co-owner of Spire Motorsports, who has criticized JGR for "repeated attacks" on his team.

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What they’re saying

“Don't want to be in court, but we're going to be there. I think it's important for us to follow through with this.”

— Joe Gibbs (The Athletic)

“This lawsuit is an effort to stifle Spire as it attempts to build a team that, one day, could rack up the number of wins that JGR touts. Rather than allowing that competition to play out on the track, and rather than considering what brought JGR here in the first place, JGR has chosen to attack, disparage, and demean Spire.”

— Jeff Dickerson, Spire Motorsports co-owner (Court filing)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Monday whether to grant a preliminary injunction that would further restrict Gabehart's ability to work for Spire Motorsports.

The takeaway

This legal battle highlights the intense competition and potential for corporate espionage in the world of professional motorsports, where teams fiercely guard their technical data and strategic insights. The outcome could set an important precedent for how teams handle employee departures and protect their intellectual property.