Joe Gibbs Racing learns court decision as judge makes key ruling in Chris Gabehart lawsuit

A judge has ruled on Joe Gibbs Racing's motion for preliminary injunction in the team's ongoing NASCAR lawsuit against Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports.

Gabehart formerly worked at Joe Gibbs Racing in a number of roles, including as Denny Hamlin's crew chief and, most recently, their Director of Competition.

However, Gabehart left the team under mysterious circumstances in the offseason, and following the Daytona 500 in February, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit against their former employee, claiming that he "embarked on a brazen scheme to steal JGR’s most sensitive information and use it for the benefit of a direct competitor in NASCAR - Spire Motorsports."

Gabehart denies any wrongdoing and initially dismissed the claims as 'baseless'. Following that, Spire Motorsports then confirmed his appointment as the organization’s Chief Motorsports Officer, and Joe Gibbs Racing subsequently added Spire's name to the lawsuit.

Joe Gibbs Racing also sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that Gabehart must "cease and desist working or performing any services for Spire similar to those he provided to JGR for the 18 months following February 9, 2026”.

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Judge makes final ruling on JGR preliminary injunction

After that was extended multiple times, the judge has now made a final ruling on the preliminary injunction, granting it in part and denying it in others.

The judge has ruled that Gabehart did take confidential information from Joe Gibbs Racing, but that he cannot share any of this with Spire Motorsports. Furthermore, Gabehart cannot perform the same duties for Spire Motorsports that he did for his former employer.

However, Gabehart can still attend races and perform other services at these events. This comes after Joe Gibbs Racing accused him of violating the temporary restraining order at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this month.

Here is the full summary of the court's decision.

"For the reasons set forth above, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART JGR’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Specifically, the Court will preliminarily enjoin Gabehart as set forth below. The Court denies without prejudice the preliminary injunction against Spire at this time," the court filing read.

"It is therefore ordered that during the pendency of this action:

(i) Defendant Gabehart shall immediately cease and desist from retaining, transferring, using or copying any of JGR’s Confidential Information and trade secrets;
(ii) Defendant Gabehart shall cease and desist from using or disclosing JGR’s Confidential Information and trade secrets;
(iii) Defendant Gabehart shall return any of JGR’s Confidential Information and trade secrets in his possession to JGR;
(iv) Defendant Gabehart shall be restrained from violating Section 6 of his Employment Agreement, which prohibits providing services of the general type of services that Defendant Gabehart provided to JGR in the year prior to his termination. For the sake of clarity, the Court is not requiring Gabehart to resign from his position at Spire or prohibiting him from working for Spire. Other services not performed at JGR in the year prior to his termination are permissible. This Order does not prohibit Gabehart from attending the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series or prevent him from performing other services at those races not implicated by Section 6 of his Employment Agreement.

There is no action or preliminary injunction against Spire Motorsports.

At this stage, a court date is unclear. Joe Gibbs Racing has proposed a November trial date, but Gabehart and Spire Motorsports have pushed for a trial in May 2027.