NASCAR 2026: Chris Gabehart unloads true feelings about Ty Gibbs as explosive lawsuit rumbles on

Chris Gabehart unloads true feelings about Ty Gibbs as NASCAR lawsuit rumbles on

Joe Gibbs Racing News Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 4:35 PM ET •By Graham Shaw

Chris Gabehart has unloaded his true feelings about Ty Gibbs as the latest blockbuster NASCAR lawsuit rumbles on.

If we thought it was safe to go back in the courtroom once Michael Jordan and co had settled their suit against the France dynasty back in December, we were very wrong.

A few days ago the NASCAR world was once again stunned when Joe Gibbs Racing filed suit against its former competition director Chris Gabehart - 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".

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Gabehart mounts strong defense

Gabehart, who was crew chief for Denny Hamlin for six years before his move to become competition director at JGR, says the claim is baseless and has filed a vehement defense.

In his declaration to court this week, Gabehart claimed his role at JGR had been hampered by what he termed a ‘dysfunctional organizational structure’.

Gabehart claimed the No. 54 car driven by Ty Gibbs was managed directly by Coach Gibbs “and everyone in the organization knew it”.

The No. 54 car, Gabehart says, was given differential treatment and that “critically the No. 54 driver was not held to the same meeting attendance standards as others on the team”.

As Gabehart waits to officially begin his new role with Spire (JGR is currently seeking an injunction to halt this), he spoke at length in St. Petersburg on Saturday about the ongoing case. And notably, about Ty Gibbs.

He voiced his regret that things have to be made public in such a way, and stressed that nothing he had declared was in any way personal.

Gabehart on Ty Gibbs

Per FOX insider Bob Pockrass, he said: “I understand the public narrative that has come along with the things that I’ve been forced to say in public about the 54 and thus Ty Gibbs and the family.

“But those have nothing to do with this. As a matter of fact, deep down, I believe Ty is a really good person who has been dealt a really tough hand the last three years.”
Gabehart said he had made the declarations because what happened with the 54 car was highly relevant to the lawsuit, and his defense.

“This is not about Ty personally. This is not about the family personally. It’s more about understanding my story and why we got to where we got. Because it is relevant and does matter to me.”