As Motorsport.com reports, the legal battle between Joe Gibbs Racing and its former competition director Chris Gabehart, now at Spire Motorsports, has reached a critical phase regarding what items must be produced during discovery. The lawsuit began back in February after Spire hired Gabehart as its Chief Motorsports Officer, with JGR alleging a breach of contract and a scheme to steal proprietary information.
Judge Susan C. Rodriguez previously determined that Gabehart misappropriated competition and commercial data by keeping JGR information on personal drives and taking cell phone photos after leaving the team. While Gabehart maintains he never used that data this season and returned it over the winter, a jury trial is scheduled to begin on February 1.
Now, as the fact discovery process nears its end, the two teams are disputing the scope of documents JGR should receive. JGR filed a motion to compel Spire to produce several documents to prove damages. In response, Spire outlined specific items JGR is pursuing, including a race outcome spreadsheet, airbox sealing processes, underbody vacuum testing procedures, transaxle lubrication specifications, and 2025 Cup Series race car setups.
Furthermore, Joe Gibbs Racing is seeking to hold Gabehart and Spire in contempt for allegedly violating a restraining order regarding his role, alongside requests for various competition meeting materials and technical documents. JGR believes its trade secret violations are more expansive than what Spire acknowledges in its filings.
Adding another layer to the courtroom drama, Hendrick Motorsports has looped itself into the proceedings. Because Spire purchases technical support, car builds, and setup assistance from Hendrick Motorsports, HMS has concerns that JGR's document requests might sweep up proprietary information that HMS supplies to Spire.
Consequently, Hendrick Motorsports notified the court that attorney C. Bailey King Jr. of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP will attend an October 1 hearing to protect its interests. The court has instructed Hendrick Motorsports to formally file its objections.
