Joe Gibbs Racing Pursues Evidence of Alleged Trade Secret Conspiracy Between Spire Motorsports and Former Director

CHARLOTTE, NC – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has formally requested expedited discovery in a North Carolina federal court, seeking concrete evidence to substantiate claims that Spire Motorsports and former competition director Chris Gabehart conspired to unlawfully obtain and disseminate proprietary trade secrets. The motion, filed Sunday night with the U.S. Western District of North Carolina, aims to uncover proof that Spire "induced or encouraged" Gabehart to "acquire or disclose" sensitive information during his transition from JGR.

Gabehart, a 45-year-old figure with a distinguished 13-year tenure at JGR, concluded his employment with the organization after accepting a new role as Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire Motorsports earlier this month. His departure came midway through a three-year agreement he had with JGR, a factor that forms a central pillar of the legal action. JGR contends that Gabehart is bound by existing non-compete and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for an additional 18 months, prompting their pursuit of a restraining order to prevent further collaboration between Gabehart and Spire until that period concludes.

The legal dispute, which saw an initial hearing on Friday before Judge Susan C. Rodriguez, has seen a plea for mediated resolution regarding the restraining order. However, JGR’s legal team has presented filings suggesting that the groundwork for Gabehart’s departure and the alleged transfer of sensitive data may have been laid as early as October. These filings aim to construct a timeline indicating a potential violation of contractual obligations by both Gabehart and Spire.

Central to JGR’s assertion is a declaration from Todd Berrier, a veteran NASCAR crew chief now serving as JGR’s competition executive. Berrier’s sworn statement details a conversation with Gabehart on or about October 21, 2025, during which Gabehart disclosed a meeting with Dan Towriss, co-owner of TWG Motorsports and a key financial backer of Spire. According to Berrier, Gabehart later confirmed this meeting via text message.

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Further compounding JGR’s concerns, digital forensic analysis reportedly revealed that Gabehart began transferring proprietary JGR data onto personal devices and cloud storage between the time of his disclosed meeting with Towriss and his eventual departure. This alleged pattern of data exfiltration has led JGR to petition the court for a targeted discovery process, compelling Spire and Gabehart to produce specific documents that could illuminate the alleged conspiracy. The requested documentation includes, but is not limited to, all communications between Gabehart and Spire representatives concerning his employment, any agreements related to his move, and records pertaining to the acquisition or transfer of JGR intellectual property.

Adding another layer to the case, a second declaration was filed by Clark C. Walton, a forensic expert from Reliance Forensics, and an attorney for JGR. Walton’s findings indicate that Gabehart conducted a series of Google searches for the term "indemnity" approximately two days after a meeting with another Spire co-owner, Jeff Dickerson, on December 2. Walton’s earlier declaration had already detailed Gabehart’s continued access and storage of proprietary JGR data on personal cloud accounts and devices from his conversation with Berrier up to his meeting with Dickerson.

The legal filings suggest a divergence in narratives regarding Gabehart’s exit. Gabehart reportedly met with Joe Gibbs on November 6, where a mutual agreement was reached to part ways, and negotiations for a financial separation package commenced. Gabehart maintains that this package, along with an earned competition bonus, has not been disbursed. JGR, however, through attorney Sarah Hutchins, argued in court on Friday that they would not compensate an individual for allegedly stealing from them and transferring confidential information to a competitor. JGR’s current legal maneuver seeks court intervention to procure evidence supporting their accusations.

The declaration from Walton specifically highlights the timing of Gabehart’s "indemnity" searches, occurring shortly after his meeting with Dickerson on December 2. This timing, JGR argues, "strongly suggests that Spire intended to and is indemnifying Gabehart for his costs and liability in this action." The filings further assert that 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."

Gabehart has consistently denied disclosing any of JGR’s trade secrets to Spire Motorsports. His attorney, Cary Davis, addressed the court on Friday, acknowledging that Gabehart took photographs of data on his personal cell phone. Davis characterized this action as "stupid" and expressed his client’s embarrassment, but emphasized that Gabehart had "stepped up to the plate" by offering to cover the costs of a forensic analysis of his devices and those of Spire to prove no proprietary data was shared.

In a counter-filing on Sunday, Spire Motorsports submitted a declaration from Heather Masterson, Head of People Operations. Masterson’s sworn statement attests that Gabehart signed a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement upon commencing his employment period with JGR on February 17. This agreement, signed on February 16, stipulated that Gabehart would "maintain at all times the confidentiality of JGR Confidential Information" and "not 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."

A significant point of contention for JGR is the scope of Gabehart’s new role as Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire. JGR is seeking a restraining order on the grounds that the responsibilities associated with this position are too similar to those he held as competition director at JGR, thus potentially violating his contractual non-compete clauses.

Both the expedited discovery motion 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 battle between two prominent NASCAR organizations and a key figure in the sport’s technical and competitive landscape. The case underscores the critical importance of intellectual property and contractual agreements in the highly competitive environment of professional motorsports.