Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has filed a lawsuit against its former competition director Chris Gabehart, accusing him of trying to steal the team’s confidential information and trade secrets to benefit rival NASCAR team Spire Motorsports.
According to the legal complaint, Gabehart allegedly took sensitive team data — including race setup files, performance analytics, payroll and sponsor details — and stored it in a personal “Spire” folder after syncing his Google Drive with his work laptop.
JGR claims Gabehart accessed this information around the time he left the team late in the 2025 season and was negotiating to join Spire, which triggered a forensic review of his devices.
The lawsuit seeks damages believed to exceed $8 million, arguing that Gabehart violated his contract and improperly used the team’s proprietary information.
JGR is also asking the court for legal measures to prevent Gabehart from using or disclosing any of the trade secrets he allegedly took.
Gabehart had worked with JGR for years, including as crew chief and later competition director, before his departure in December 2025.