A federal judge has imposed restrictions on Chris Gabehart’s new role at Spire Motorsports following a legal challenge from his former employer, Joe Gibbs Racing.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez in North Carolina’s Western District issued a partial restraining order that blocks Gabehart from performing competition director responsibilities – the same position he previously held at JGR, which has filed a lawsuit against him.
Joe Gibbs Racing had requested the court completely stop Gabehart’s employment at Spire Motorsports.
The court’s decision does allow Gabehart to continue working with Spire’s Truck Series, Late Model and Sprint Car programs, as well as Andretti Autosport IndyCar operations, all of which fall under the TWG Global organization.
Last month, JGR initiated legal action against Gabehart, claiming he disclosed proprietary information and trade secrets while preparing to leave for a position with the competing team. The lawsuit, seeking at least $8 million in damages, was subsequently expanded to include Spire as a co-defendant.
Joe Gibbs Racing issued a statement Monday saying, “We are pleased with today’s ruling by the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina for a temporary restraining order enforcing the terms of our contract with Chris Gabehart. We will continue the legal process to protect our information and fight for what is right for our race team, our employees, and our partners.”
The 44-year-old Gabehart spent 13 years with JGR, serving as Denny Hamlin’s crew chief for an extended period before moving into the competition director position. Reports indicate his annual base pay reached $1 million, not including performance bonuses.
According to Motorsport.com, JGR’s internal investigation discovered that Gabehart created a computer folder linked to his personal cloud account containing sensitive team information, including salary details and performance evaluations for drivers, crew chiefs and pit crew members.
The racing organization claims Gabehart accessed these confidential files while completing his departure process on the same date he met with Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson.
Joe Gibbs Racing is the NASCAR team owned by 85-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, who led Washington to three Super Bowl victories. His NASCAR operation has captured five Cup Series titles and four Daytona 500 wins, earning Gibbs induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
