Judge Rules Gabehart Can Work for Spire but Not in JGR Role A federal judge has ruled that Chris Gabehart, former competition director for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), can continue working for Spire Motorsports but cannot hold the same role he previously had with JGR. The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez in the Western District of North Carolina, allows Gabehart to remain in his position as chief motorsports officer at Spire, which oversees most of parent company TWG Global’s racing operations. The ruling follows a court order requiring both parties to attempt to resolve the dispute after a hearing on JGR’s motion for a restraining order. A full hearing on Gabehart’s employment is scheduled for March 16. Gabehart, who made his first public appearance as a Spire employee at the IndyCar event in St. Petersburg, Florida, is permitted to attend this weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway, where both NASCAR and IndyCar are competing. TWG Motorsports also owns Andretti Global, an IndyCar team. The judge’s order also mandates that Gabehart return all data and materials he obtained from JGR to the team, which is owned by Joe Gibbs, the founder of the NASCAR organization. Gibbs, a member of both the Pro Football and NASCAR Halls of Fame, co-owns JGR with his daughter-in-law, Heather. JGR has alleged that Gabehart stole sensitive data, including files and setups, causing over $8 million in damages. Spire has been named as a defendant in the case. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson emphasized the company’s commitment to protecting trade secrets, stating, “We don’t want anybody else’s stuff, other than Hendrick, obviously.” Spire already has a partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, which provides access to Hendrick’s data, the winningest team in NASCAR history.#joe_gibbs_racing #chris_gabehart #spire_motorsports #susana_c_rodriguez #twg_global
