NASCAR 2026: Hendrick Motorsports cited as Spire chief hits back at Joe Gibbs Racing

NASCAR outfit Hendrick Motorsports has unknowingly found itself at the center of the ongoing lawsuit between Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports, with the co-owner of the latter, Jeff Dickerson, hitting back.

The lawsuit might only be just over a fortnight old, but there has already been several developments since Joe Gibbs Racing sued Gabehart and alleged him of embarking 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 and Spire both deny the allegations. However, the team has since confirmed him as their new Chief Motorsports Officer (JGR added Spire to their lawsuit after this), although he will not be able to assume any roles that overlap with the duties he performed as Director of Competition at JGR after they filed a temporary restraining order.

It even came to light over the weekend that JGR had hired a private investigator to follow Gabehart to a meeting with Dickerson, but now, the Spire co-owner has hit back in a new filing.

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Joe Gibbs Racing v Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports lawsuit latest

On Wednesday night, a filing made by Spire included an explosive statement from Dickerson, who referenced his team's technical partnership with Hendrick Motorsports as why they do not need to steal data from JGR.

“To be clear, Spire never asked for, did not want or need, and does not want or need any information from Mr. Gabehart that was the property of JGR," Dickerson said in the filing, via Motorsport.com. "Spire has its own technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, who holds the Cup Series record for wins at 320 and 15 championships, and otherwise has no need for JGR’s information.

"Spire also works with General Motors for data purposes. Spire also has its own drivers, its own equipment, its own crews, its own engineers, its own crew chiefs, its own vehicle and engine manufacturers, its own sponsors, its own funding sources, and its own strategy."

Different manufacturer, different engine

Dickerson also referenced the fact that Spire cars are manufactured by Chevrolet, and not Toyota, like JGR, and that the teams do not use the same engines.

In light of that, Dickerson claims that attempting to use JGR data could actually harm Spire, rather than do them any good.

“Spire is a Chevrolet team with a different body and different engine from what JGR races in," the filing read. "The outerbody and underbody work together, such that information from JGR would not be an easy carry over for performance.

"Spire receives support from General Motors which supplies all of Spire’s aerodynamics data, tools and simulation. Spire is not in control of these programs and can only make recommendations for improvements. As a result, any data from JGR would be almost impossible to use. Additionally, in the Cup Series in particular, optimal engineering changes on a day-to-day and week-by-week basis, such that information that is not current would not be relevant or useful to Spire.

"Spire obtains its engines from Hendrick Motorsports and is not in control of any development, which is another reason why information and data from JGR would not be useful or relevant. General Motors and Hendrick Motorsports are the most recent champions in the Cup Series, so Spire believes that it already has access to the best information available.

"Spire, therefore, believes that it already has access to any information that will allow it to be a successful team, and is not looking for information from JGR. Ultimately, I believe that any JGR information available could actually harm Spire—we have absolutely no way to validate outside information because in this sport the manufacturers control aerodynamics and tire testing data.”