Joe Gibbs Racing is leveraging Spire Motorsports’ decision to place crew chief Chris Gabehart on administrative leave as further evidence of wrongdoing in their ongoing legal battle. The move comes as JGR seeks a contempt order against Spire and Gabehart for alleged violations of a court injunction stemming from Gabehart’s departure from JGR at the end of 2025.
The dispute centers on accusations that Gabehart breached his contract and took proprietary information to Spire, a direct competitor. JGR claims that since March, Gabehart has repeatedly violated a restraining order that prohibits him from engaging in activities similar to his former role as competition director, as well as from accessing or using any misappropriated trade secrets.
In a recent court filing, JGR argued that Spire’s actions—such as confiscating Gabehart’s laptop, cutting off his company email, and removing him from Cup Series meetings—were reactive measures taken only after legal pressure, not proactive compliance. The team emphasized that Gabehart was placed on administrative leave solely after JGR filed its motion for contempt, describing it as “damage control” rather than good-faith adherence to court orders.
JGR also highlighted that despite being on leave, Gabehart has continued to attend events in other racing series, including Truck, IndyCar, and Sprint Car races, which the plaintiffs view as an attempt to circumvent the injunction’s restrictions on Cup Series-related activities.
In open court on October 1, JGR presented new evidence alleging that Gabehart retained access to JGR trade secrets through an undisclosed personal OneDrive account synced to his Spire-issued laptop. According to the filing, this access persisted until late June 2026, months after the initial restraining order was issued, and was only revealed after discovery had closed. JGR maintains that this noncompliance cannot be remedied by deletion alone, as the harm from prolonged access is irreversible, and civil contempt is necessary to ensure future compliance.
Additional grounds for the contempt motion include text messages from Spire driver Carson Hocecar seeking car handling advice from Gabehart in March, deposition statements from other Spire staff regarding Gabehart’s involvement in setup decisions, and his attendance at numerous Cup Series competition meetings before being sidelined in late May or early June.
Spire has defended Gabehart’s actions, arguing that discussions on topics like air pressures do not constitute trade secrets and that his presence in the garage and meetings was akin to that of other high-level executives. However, JGR rejects this characterization, asserting that even a single violation of the court orders is sufficient for contempt, and that Gabehart’s substantial compensation underscores the significance of his role in Cup operations.
As the legal battle intensifies, Spire has yet to address the allegations directly, but maintains that its measures were taken in an overabundance of caution. The case continues to unfold, with JGR pushing for judicial intervention to enforce the injunction and address what it describes as persistent breaches.
