Joe Gibbs Racing secured a limited temporary restraining order in its lawsuit against Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports. The hearing took place in the Western District of North Carolina before Judge Susan C. Rodriguez. The ruling allows Gabehart to remain Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire Motorsports but limits his responsibilities.
Joe Gibbs Racing alleges Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports conspired to take trade secrets after his departure. The team is seeking damages. According to Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com, Judge Rodriguez described parts of the claims as “speculative at best” at this stage. The case remains active and will continue later this month.
Judge Susan C. Rodriguez Bars Overlapping Duties
Judge Susan C. Rodriguez ruled that Chris Gabehart may continue working at Spire Motorsports but cannot perform duties that overlap with his former role at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Judge rules that Chris Gabehart can continue working for Spire Motorsports, but cannot perform any duties at Spire that he was doing as JGR’s competition director — basically, no overlap. Spire and Gabehart state that this decision has no impact as his role as Spire’s chief…
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) March 2, 2026
Gabehart previously served as competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing. In that position, he oversaw race strategy and engineering leadership across the organization. The judge said he cannot engage in similar competitive or engineering functions at Spire Motorsports while the case proceeds.
According to Motorsport.com, the judge stated, “Other duties are fair game.”
The order permits Gabehart to oversee broader business operations at Spire Motorsports. He may also work within TWG Motorsports properties, including its Truck Series, Late Model, and Sprint Car teams. The ruling also allows involvement with the Andretti Autosport IndyCar program.
Judge Rodriguez also ordered Gabehart to return any proprietary Joe Gibbs Racing information. According to Motorsport.com, Gabehart said he already returned all materials. Spire Motorsports has stated it never received confidential information.
Joe Gibbs Racing Seeks Discovery in Trade Secrets Case
After the hearing, Joe Gibbs Racing released a statement.
“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.”
According to Matt Weaver, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a motion Sunday seeking expedited discovery. The team is requesting communications and documents it believes could show a coordinated effort to obtain trade secrets.
Judge Susan C. Rodriguez declined to issue a full restraining order. Such an order would have required Gabehart to resign from Spire Motorsports. She said the broader allegations currently presented would be “speculative at best,” according to the report.
The court ordered Joe Gibbs Racing to post a $100,000 bond. The bond protects Gabehart if the restraining order is later found to be unwarranted.
March 16 Hearing Set as NASCAR Season Continues
Both parties are scheduled to return to court on March 16. The court will address the discovery motion and hear arguments regarding a preliminary injunction. That ruling could expand or narrow the current restrictions.
According to Motorsport.com, Gabehart joined Spire Motorsports on February 17. Leaving the courthouse, he said he has not performed duties that overlap with his previous role at Joe Gibbs Racing. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson echoed that statement.
Neither Joe Gibbs nor members of the Gibbs family attended the hearing.
The case will move forward as the NASCAR season continues, with further legal decisions expected later this month.
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