A federal court has set a January trial date for the high-stakes legal battle between Joe Gibbs Racing and Spire Motorsports involving former JGR employee Chris Gabehart, according to motorsport.com.
The scheduling decision came Wednesday after both sides requested different timelines. JGR had pushed for a November start while Spire and Gabehart sought to delay proceedings until May.
The racing powerhouse is seeking damages exceeding $8 million, claiming Gabehart engaged in wrongful conduct and interference when he departed JGR for a position with Spire.
JGR’s legal team had advocated for the earlier November timeline, expressing urgency about preserving evidence and beginning the discovery process quickly. Meanwhile, the defense argued that a May start would prevent depositions from disrupting the ongoing NASCAR season.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan C. Rodriguez from North Carolina’s Western District has ordered both parties to collaborate on pretrial scheduling. She directed them to “meet and confer and submit to the Court within 10 days a joint proposal as to pretrial deadlines as discussed,” requiring all sides to follow an agreed timeline for pre-trial activities.
The legal dispute has intensified following Spire’s remarkable performance improvement since bringing Gabehart aboard. Earlier this week, JGR filed an updated lawsuit addressing additional damages allegedly caused by the use of proprietary information.
Spire’s success this season has been notable, with driver Carson Hocevar currently ranked sixth in standings after claiming his inaugural NASCAR victory at Talladega on April 26 – marking Spire’s first Cup Series win since 2019. Fellow Spire driver Daniel Suarez, who joined the team this year, holds 14th place. Last season, none of Spire’s three drivers managed a top-20 finish in the final standings.
The updated legal filing directly connects Spire’s improved results to the alleged misconduct. “This sudden improvement in Spire’s Cup Series performance of course comes on the heels of Gabehart misappropriating JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and providing Spire the same or similar services he provided JGR in the last year,” the amended document states.
Judge Rodriguez has also approved expedited discovery procedures for specific evidence, allowing quicker access to phone records that relate directly to Gabehart’s professional relationships with both racing organizations.
