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CHARLOTTE, NC – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has formally accused Spire Motorsports and its newly appointed Chief Motorsports Officer, Chris Gabehart, of conspiring to illicitly acquire and disclose trade secrets and proprietary content. The accusation was detailed in an expedited motion for discovery filed late Sunday with the Western District of North Carolina. The racing powerhouse seeks concrete evidence to substantiate its claims that Spire Motorsports "induced or encouraged" Gabehart to breach his contractual obligations.
Gabehart, a highly respected figure in NASCAR for over a decade, recently departed Joe Gibbs Racing after a 13-year tenure. During his time with JGR, the 45-year-old held significant roles, including competition director, championship-caliber engineer, and crew chief. His transition to Spire Motorsports this month as Chief Motorsports Officer came prematurely, cutting short a three-year agreement he had entered into with JGR just one year prior.
JGR contends that Gabehart remains bound by non-compete and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for an additional 18 months following his departure. The organization is actively pursuing a restraining order to prevent Spire and Gabehart from collaborating during this period, arguing that their continued association would be a direct violation of these agreements.
The legal battle intensified following a hearing last Friday, where Judge Susan C. Rodriguez reportedly urged both parties to seek an amicable resolution regarding the restraining order. However, JGR’s recent filings suggest a belief that the groundwork for Gabehart’s departure and alleged intellectual property infringement was laid as early as October 2025.
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Central to JGR’s claims is a series of legal declarations outlining an alleged timeline of complicity between Gabehart and Spire. In a sworn statement, Todd Berrier, a veteran NASCAR crew chief and now a competition executive at JGR, detailed a meeting Gabehart had with Dan Towriss, co-owner of TWG Motorsports and a principal financier of Spire Motorsports. According to Berrier’s declaration, Gabehart informed him on or about October 21, 2025, about a meeting with Towriss concerning a potential job opportunity. Gabehart later confirmed this meeting via text message that same evening.
Further compounding JGR’s suspicions is a digital forensic analysis that reportedly revealed Gabehart began transferring proprietary JGR data to his personal devices and cloud storage accounts between this initial conversation with Towriss and his eventual departure. Based on this evidence, JGR has petitioned the court to compel Spire and Gabehart to participate in a targeted fact-discovery process, demanding the production of specific documents. While the original article snippet did not detail the specific requested documents, the context strongly implies materials related to communications, agreements, and the transfer of data between Gabehart and Spire.
Adding another layer to JGR’s case is a second declaration filed by Clark C. Walton, a forensic expert from Reliance Forensics, and JGR’s attorney. This declaration highlights a series of Google searches conducted by Gabehart on the term "indemnity" just two days after a meeting with Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson on December 2, 2025. Walton’s prior declaration indicated that Gabehart continued to store and access sensitive JGR data on his personal cloud and devices from the time of his conversation with Berrier up to his meeting with Dickerson.
The timeline presented by JGR suggests a deliberate and calculated strategy. Gabehart reportedly met with Joe Gibbs himself on November 6, 2025, where both parties agreed it was mutually beneficial to part ways. Negotiations for a financial separation package commenced thereafter. Gabehart asserts that this package, along with a competition bonus he earned as competition director, has not been paid.
JGR, represented by attorney Sarah Hutchins, argued in court on Friday that they are unwilling to compensate an individual for allegedly stealing from the organization and absconding with its proprietary data to a competitor. The current motion for expedited discovery is a direct effort to gather evidence to support this assertion.
The declaration from Walton further elaborates on the significance of Gabehart’s "indemnity" searches. "Shortly after this meeting, Gabehart conducted internet research on the meaning of the word ‘indemnify’ on December 4, 2026," the declaration states. "The timing of this search strongly suggests that Spire intended to and is indemnifying Gabehart for his costs and liability in this action. This evidence, compounded by evidence of material engagement between Spire and Gabehart beginning in at least October, raises important questions regarding Spire’s involvement in Gabehart’s decision to take JGR’s most sensitive Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and access it through November including on December 2nd—the same day he met with Jeff Dickerson."
Despite JGR’s allegations, Gabehart has consistently maintained his innocence, asserting in filings and statements that he did not disclose any of Joe Gibbs Racing’s trade secrets to Spire Motorsports. His attorney, Cary Davis, addressed the matter before Judge Rodriguez last Friday. Davis acknowledged that Gabehart took photos of data on his personal cell phone, admitting, "Gabehart admits to taking the photos… and he’s embarrassed. He knows it was stupid." However, Davis emphasized that Gabehart "stepped up to the plate" and covered the costs of a forensic analysis out of his own pocket, suggesting this action was taken because "he had nothing to hide." Gabehart has also reportedly offered to fund a forensic examination of both his devices and those belonging to Spire as further proof of his claims.
In a counter-filing on Sunday, Spire Motorsports submitted a declaration from Heather Masterson, Head of People Operations. Masterson’s statement attests that Gabehart signed an agreement on February 16, 2025, to refrain from disclosing JGR trade secrets upon commencing his employment. This document, a Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement, reportedly stipulated that Mr. Gabehart agreed to "maintain at all times the confidentiality of JGR Confidential Information" and "not [to] disclose JGR Confidential Information to Company or use JGR Confidential Information for the Company’s benefit or in connection with any services performed for or on behalf of the Company."
Joe Gibbs Racing’s request for a restraining order is also predicated on the perceived similarity in scope between Gabehart’s former role as competition director at JGR and his new position as Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire. JGR argues that the responsibilities are too closely aligned, potentially allowing Gabehart to leverage his former employer’s confidential information in his new capacity.
Both the expedited motion for discovery and the request for a restraining order are scheduled to be heard by Judge Rodriguez on Monday afternoon. The outcome of these proceedings could significantly shape the ongoing legal dispute between the two prominent NASCAR organizations. The case highlights the high stakes involved in personnel changes within the competitive landscape of professional motorsports, where intellectual property and proprietary information are critical assets.
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