NASCAR TEAM FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST FORMER EMPLOYEE OVER ALLEGED THEFT OF RACING SECRETS. (PHOTO).

 NASCAR team files lawsuit against former employee over alleged theft of racing secrets

Joe Gibbs Racing filed a federal lawsuit Thursday, alleging that its former competition director, Christopher Gabehart, stole confidential business information and planned to provide it to rival team Spire Motorsports. The racing organization claims Gabehart, who had been with Joe Gibbs Racing since 2012, used sensitive company data to solicit at least one other employee to join Spire, and the team is seeking $8 million in damages.

According to the suit, Gabehart became dissatisfied with his role during the 2025 season and sought additional authority over other departments. When his requests were denied, Joe Gibbs Racing alleges that he began a deliberate plan to take the company’s most sensitive information to a competitor. The team says that before leaving on November 10, 2025, Gabehart downloaded confidential material, and three days later received a job offer from Spire, despite previously claiming he had no similar role lined up.

The complaint details that Gabehart allegedly linked his personal Google Drive to his company laptop and uploaded screenshots containing confidential data. A third-party review reportedly found 20 files of racecar setup information, along with photos he had taken of internal documents with his personal phone to avoid leaving a digital trail. The materials reportedly included race audits, detailed analyses of team and driver performance, payroll data including driver salaries and sponsor revenue, pit crew analytics, and tire performance assessments. Gabehart also allegedly created a “Spire” folder containing a 141-page analytics file, simulations of optimal car setups, and a comparison of a Gibbs Racing driver to a Spire competitor.

Joe Gibbs Racing contends that Gabehart gathered information beyond his authorized access to improperly compete with the company after moving to Spire. The team claims the theft contributed to another employee leaving to join Spire after being offered a higher salary. The lawsuit accuses Gabehart of misappropriating trade secrets, engaging in unfair trade practices, and breaching his contract. Joe Gibbs Racing is requesting a court order to prevent Gabehart from using the information and to require him to return any data still in his possession.

The lawsuit also notes that the company recently discovered Gabehart’s plans to become chief motorsports officer at Spire, overseeing the team’s racing strategy and operations, contrary to his previous statements. His noncompete agreement had been released but was terminated after it was found he retained company data. Both Joe Gibbs Racing and Spire Motorsports compete in the NASCAR Cup Series, with Gibbs also in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Spire in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This case comes shortly after another legal dispute in the sport, involving Legacy Motor Club and a consultant accused of using confidential information in an attempt to acquire Rick Ware Racing.