Chris Gabehart, former competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, attended a NASCAR event at Bristol Motor Speedway this past weekend, leading Joe Gibbs Racing to accuse him of violating a temporary restraining order. Gabehart is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Joe Gibbs Racing for allegedly breaching non-compete provisions and participating in a scheme to steal trade secrets while negotiating his role at Spire Motorsports. The lawsuit initially sought over $8 million from Gabehart and later included Spire as a defendant.
In the legal proceedings, Judge Susan C. Rodriguez issued a restraining order allowing Gabehart to work for Spire but prohibited him from engaging in activities similar to his previous role at JGR. Despite the restrictions, Gabehart continued attending NASCAR Cup Series races and was photographed by JGR at Bristol, prompting further legal action. Declarations from Ty Gibbs social media manager David Biro and competition director Wally Brown accused Gabehart of violating the court order by participating in JGR-level competition activities for Spire.
The court order limits Gabehart’s role at Spire to senior executive activities and non-Cup or O’Reilly Series competitions. Brown pointed out Gabehart’s use of radios, access to workstations, and interactions with drivers as evidence of his involvement in competition operations. The overall legal filing by Joe Gibbs Racing raises concerns about Gabehart using acquired trade secrets for Spire’s benefit and emphasizes the need for court oversight to ensure compliance. This ongoing legal battle highlights the complexities of non-compete agreements and trade secret protection in competitive industries like NASCAR.
