Joe Gibbs Racing Files Lawsuit Against Former Competition Director
In a surprising legal development, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has launched a lawsuit against Chris Gabehart, the team’s former competition director, asserting that he engaged in a deliberate attempt to pilfer sensitive information for the benefit of rival NASCAR team, Spire Motorsports. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the Western District of North Carolina, claims that Gabehart breached his contractual obligations and unlawfully appropriated confidential trade secrets after his request for greater authority was turned down by JGR’s owner, Joe Gibbs.
Allegations and Financial Damages
The legal action alleges that Gabehart’s actions caused the organization financial damages exceeding $8 million. Known for his multiple Super Bowl victories as a head coach, Joe Gibbs founded JGR in 1992. A Hall of Fame inductee in both the Pro Football and NASCAR genres, Gibbs co-manages JGR with his daughter-in-law, Heather. The team currently fields cars in the Cup Series for prominent drivers including Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, and Denny Hamlin.
Gabehart’s Rise and Subsequent Actions
Gabehart, who had been with the organization since 2012, rose from the position of engineer to crew chief for Denny Hamlin before becoming competition director in 2025, a role that granted him access to JGR’s vital proprietary information. According to the lawsuit, throughout the previous season, Gabehart sought complete control over all competition departments. In a meeting with Gibbs on November 6, he allegedly expressed a desire for full authority over race strategies.
When Gibbs denied this request, Gabehart indicated he wanted to depart from JGR. Following these discussions, JGR discovered that Gabehart had held meetings with Spire Motorsports, prompting the team to conduct a forensic examination of his company-issued laptop. This analysis reportedly revealed unsettling findings, including Google search queries concerning Spire, numerous folders labeled “Spire” and “Past Setups,” and dozens of images displaying confidential JGR documents.
Legal Proceedings and Tensions
As the lawsuit unfolded, tensions heightened as JGR attempted to enforce a cooling-off period preventing Gabehart from working with other organizations. On February 11, JGR learned that Gabehart was eyeing a prominent role at Spire Motorsports, where he would oversee their racing strategies and operations—contradicting his previous claims to JGR that any offer from Spire did not involve similar responsibilities to those he held at JGR.
The suit argues that Gabehart intentionally accessed proprietary JGR materials unlawfully and took measures to obscure his digital footprint. After submitting his laptop on November 10, Gabehart left the organization shortly thereafter. He reportedly received an offer from Spire on November 13, and, despite asserting to JGR on December 4 that he had not communicated with anyone at Spire or any other potential employers, it is alleged that he was actively recruiting JGR employees to join Spire—a move that has seen at least one individual transition to the rival team.
Current Status
As of now, Spire Motorsports has not formally announced Gabehart’s hiring, and he has not publicly commented on the matter. The revelations from this case shine a light not only on strife within JGR but also on the competitive tensions that exist in the bustling world of NASCAR.
