Joe Gibbs Racing intends to amend Spire, Gabehart lawsuit

Judge issues injunction ruling in Joe Gibbs Racing v Chris Gabehart lawsuit

Chris Gabehart attempting to recover deleted texts; rejects Joe Gibbs Racing’s latest legal motion

To date, JGR has proven that Gabehart 'misappropriated' such data by storing it on his personal devices but has not proven that it was shared with Spire or any other entity within the sport. JGR amended its complaint on February 24 to also include Spire as a defendant, alleging breach of contract and tampering with Gabehart's non-compete.

It's a non-compete that Gabehart claims he was not subject to  because JGR voided their agreement. JGR claims that Gabehart voided first through misappropriation.

Both defendants have denied wrongdoing and have defended their position during numerous hearings over the course of the spring. How Joe Gibbs Racing would expand its lawsuit currently remains unclear until that filing is made with the court.

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Trial timeline disagreement

Independent of the potential amended lawsuit, JGR and Spire/Gabehart also disagree over the proposed timeline to reach trial. Joe Gibbs Racing wants a trial to begin on December 7 to have a resolution prior to the start of the 2027 season.

The defendants argue that is too expedited for a fair procedural defense but agree that a quicker process is warranted but just not one that reaches its conclusion in December.

Joe Gibbs Racing pointed to the increased competitive success of Spire Motorsports, including a victory on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway as reason to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.

“NASCAR commentators have openly noted that Spire—a team long regarded as a perennial back marker—now appears transformed. Suddenly, ‘everything’s looking up for them,’ with multiple cars qualifying inside the top 10.

“As one analyst candidly acknowledged, there is a ‘rhyme and reason’ behind Spire’s newfound speed and ‘there’s a reason there’s a lawsuit going on.’ As the commentator explained, ‘everything is about people in this world, and [Spire] hired a good one with Chris Gabehart’—a person who admittedly misappropriated JGR’s trade secrets and confidential information—and ‘that’s a big reason why they’re running good.’”

“These are not isolated musings. They reflect an emerging recognition that Spire’s implausible single season competitive leap coincides directly with Gabehart’s arrival and influence on the Cup Series. In fact, just this past week, a Spire driver—who appears in previously submitted evidence to be in close proximity to Gabehart during Qualifying—won a Cup Series race for only the second time in Spire’s history. Spire’s only other win occurred in a weather-shortened race seven years prior. This underscores that unfair competitive harm is already underway, visible on the track, and being openly attributed to the very conduct at issue in this case. The case should proceed to merits discovery and trial for a judgment on Defendants’ actions as quickly as reasonably possible.”

Gabehart was also present with Spire on Sunday at Talladega, with permission from the court as long as he does not do anything that resembles the duty of a competition director, and Spire took exception to that as well.

“Within weeks, he progressed from observing races from the grandstands while wearing a two-way team radio to positioning himself inside Spire’s pit road workstation alongside personnel actively monitoring race data.”

Editor’s note: There hasn’t been a single photograph that showed Gabehart wearing a two way radio with a mouthpiece, objectively speaking

“This steady encroachment places Gabehart in precisely the environment where he can violate the Court’s order through real-time, oral, or radio communications—conduct that is difficult to detect but impossible to ignore. Defendants have yet to offer a plausible explanation for services Gabehart is performing at these times and places that do not violate his restrictive covenant. Against this backdrop, Defendants’ insistence that ‘there is no potential harm to JGR during pendency of this litigation’ and a delayed trial ‘would have no impact on the 2027 NASCAR season’ rings hollow.

“Without explanation of Gabehart’s activity at the Cup Series races, discovery is necessary to understand his role and any improper competitive harm already underway.”

For what it’s worth, Spire says Gabehart is acting in a manner identical to top executives like Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports or even Joe Gibbs, team owner of JGR, himself.

Cheeky response

While not an actual legal declaration, Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson poked fun at the lawsuit through a Spire Motorsports tweet that referenced Joe Gibbs Racing perpetually citing Spire as an organization that has just one win -- a reflection of how far behind it is to JGR.

Filings

Practice broadcast reference

Cup Series practice transcript by mattweavermedia

JGR's motion for expedited trial

JOE GIBBS RACING'S REPLY IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION FOR EXPEDITED TRIAL by mattweavermedia

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